GARDENING 

INDOORS 

AND UNDER GLASS 



y 



GARDENING 
INDOORS AND 
UNDER GLASS 

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE PLANTING, 
CARE AND PROPAGATION OF HOUSE 
PLANTS, AND TO THE CONSTRUCTION 
AND MANAGEMENT OF HOTBED, 
COLDFRAME AND SMALL GREENHOUSE 

BY 

F. F. ROCKWELL 

Author of Home Vegetable Gardening 




NEW YORK 

McBRIDE, NAST & COMPANY 

1912 



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Copyright, 191 1, 1912, by U 

McBride, Nast & Co. 



Published September, 1912 



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FOREWORD 

There is nothing which adds so much sunshine 
and cheer to the rooms of a house besieged by 
winter and all his dreary encampment of snow and 
ice, as the greenery, color and fragrance of blossom- 
ing plants. There is no pastime quite so full of 
pleasure and constant interest as this sort of horti- 
culture; the rooting of small slips, the repotting and 
watering and watching, as new growth develops, 
and buds unfold. Some have the magic gift, that 
everything they touch will break into blossom; 
others strive — perhaps too hard — only to gain 
indifferent results. It is hoped that this book will 
aid those of the second class to locate past mistakes 
and progress to future success; and further that it 
may indicate to those more fortunate ones of the 
first class the way to more extensive achievements in 
the work they love. 

This is not a technical book ; simply an attempt to 
tell in so plain a way that they cannot be misunder- 
stood the everyday details of the successful manage- 
ment of plants in the house and within such small 
glass structures as may be made, even with limited 
means and time, a part of the average home. 

There is another aspect of the case worth consid- 



FOREWORD 

ering; so much so in fact, that it is one of the 
reasons for writing this book. By the use of such 
modest glass structures as almost everyone can 
afford not only is the scope of winter gardening 
enlarged and the work rendered more easy and cer- 
tain, but the opportunity is given to make this light 
labor pay for itself. Fresh vegetables out of season 
are always acceptable and well grown plants find a 
ready sale among one's flower-loving friends. 
Cranmere, August ist, 19 12. 

F. F. R. 



CONTENTS 

PART I— PLANTS IN THE HOUSE 



CHAPTER 

I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

VIII 

IX 

X 

XI 

XII 

XIII 

XIV 

XV 

XVI 

XVII 
XVIII 



XIX 
XX 



Introduction 

The Proper Conditions: Light, Tem- 
perature AND Moisture . 

Soils, Manures and Fertilizers 

Starting Plants From Seed . 

Starting Plants From Cuttings 

Transplanting, Potting and Repot 
ting • 

Management of House Plants 

Flowering Plants 

Shrubs . 

Foliage Plants 

Vines 

Ferns 

Palms 

Cacti 

Bulbs 

Veranda Boxes, Window-boxes, Vases 
AND Hanging Baskets 

House Plant Insects and Diseases 

Accessories ;.) 



PART II— HOME GLASS 



Its Opportunities . . .; . 
The Coldframe and the Hotbed 



PAGE 

I 

6 

14 
22 

29 

35 
44 

51 
70 
81 
90 

97 
103 

no 

116 

128 
132 
140 



146 
149 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XXI The Construction of Conservatories 

AND Small Greenhouses . ... 156 
XXII Methods of Heating ...... 167 

XXIII Management . 172 

XXIV Flowers . 180 

XXV Vegetables . 193 

XXVI Vegetable and Bedding Plants for 

Spring 197 

Index . . .... . ,., „ . 207 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

A flourishing flower bay Frontispiece 

FACING PAGE 

An isolated bay-window conservatory 8 

A tiled window-sill garden 9 

Preparing flats for the "sub-irrigation" method of water- 
ing 28 

Cuttings ready for sand 2g 

Geranium cuttings ready for potting 29 

Potted cuttings ready for their first shift 40 

Striking Rex begonia leaf cuttings 40 

"Crocking" in a flower pot 41 

Seedlings ready to transplant 48 

A flower bay protected with heavy curtains .... 49 

Pride of Cincinnati begonia 60 

Pansy geranium 61 

Primrose (Primula ohconica) 61 

The Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta) 72 

Otaheite orange 73 

Baby rambler rose 80 

Araucaria excelsa 81 

Screw Pine (Pandanus Veitchii) 88 

Rubber plant (Ficus elastica) 89 

Vines on an indoor trellis 96 

Crested Scott Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Scholzeli) 97 

Propagation of Boston Fern by division 100 

A variety of the Fan Palm {Phoenix Roebelenii) . . loi 

Weddell's Palm loi 

A pan of forced crocuses 116 

Victory gladiolus 117 

A second story window-box 128 

Iceland poppies and trailing vines in a window-box . . 128 

A movable plant table 129 

Inside a small greenhouse 148 

A small lean-to greenhouse 149 

A three-sash coldframe 164 

The simplest type of window greenhouse 165 

Tomatoes in the greenhouse 196 

Cucumbers and lettuce in the greenhouse 197 



GARDENING 

INDOORS 

AND UNDER GLASS 



Part One — Plants in the House 
CHAPTER I 

INTRODUCTION 

TO-DAY the garden is in the zenith of its 
glory. The geraniums and salvias blaze in 
the autumn sun ; the begonias have grown 
to a small forest of beautiful foliage and bloom; 
the heliotropes have become almost little trees, and 
load the air with their delicate fragrance. To- 
night — who knows? — grim winter may fling the 
first fleet-winged detachment of his advance across 
the land, by every road-side and into every garden- 
close; and to-morrow there will be but blackening 
ruins and burned bivouacs where the thousand camps 
of summer planted their green and purple in the 
golden haze. 

And what provision, when that inevitable day of 
summer's defeat comes, have you made for saving 
part of the beauty and joy of your garden, of car- 
rying some rescued plants into the safe stronghold 
of your house, like minstrels to make merry and 
cheer the clouded days until the long siege is over, 
and spring, rejuvenescent, comes to rout the snows ? 

I do not know which is the more commonly over- 



2 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

looked, the importance and fun of keeping the liv- 
ing-rooms of the house cheerful with plants and 
flowers in winter, or the certainty and economy 
with which it may be done if one will use the plain 
common-sense methods necessary to make plants 
succeed. Too much care and coddling is just as 
sure to make growth forlorn and sickly as too much 
neglect. That may be one reason why one fre- 
quently sees such healthy looking plants framed in 
the dismal window of a factory tenement, where 
the chinks can never be stopped tight and the occu- 
pants find it hard enough to keep warm, while at 
the same time it is easy to find leafless and lanky 
specimens in the super-heated and moistureless air 
of drawing-rooms. 

It certainly is true that many modern houses of 
the better sort do not offer very congenial condi- 
tions to the healthy growth of plants. It is equally 
certain that in many cases these conditions may be 
changed by different management in such way that 
they would be not only more healthy for plants to 
live in, but so also for their human occupants. In 
many other cases there is nothing but lack of in- 
formation or energy in the way of constructing a 
place entirely suitable for the growth of plants. 
To illustrate what I mean, I mention the following 
instance of how one person made a suitable place 
in which to grow flowers. Two narrow storm 
windows, which had been discarded, were fastened 



INTRODUCTION 3 

at right angles to the sides of the dining-room win- 
dows, and the regular storm sash screwed on to 
these. Here were the three glass sides of a small 
conservatory. Half-inch boards made a bottom and 
roof, the former being supported by brackets to 
give strength, and the latter put on with two slant- 
ing side pieces nailed to the top of the upright nar- 
row sash spoken of, to give the roof a pitch. Top 
and bottom were covered with old flexible rubber 
matting which was carried back under the clapboards 
making a weather-proof, tight joint with the side 
of the house. Six-inch light wooden shelves on the 
inside gave a conservatory of considerable capacity. 
How many houses there are where some such ar- 
rangement could be made as the result of a few 
hours' work and thought, and a very small expense. 
And yet how infrequently one sees anything of the 
kind. In many instances such a glassed-in window 
would be all that is needed, sufficient heat being 
furnished by a radiator under the window 
within the house. In the case mentioned, how- 
ever, it was necessary to heat the small gt^een- 
house. This was done by installing a small gas 
stove in the cellar, as nearly as possible under 
the window greenhouse. Over this stove a large 
tin hood was fitted, with a sliding door in front to 
facilitate lighting and regulating the stove. From 
the hood a six-inch pipe, enclosed in a wood 
casing for insulation, ran through the cellar window 



4 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

and up into the floor of the conservatory, ending 
in a small radiator. 

These details are given not with the idea that 
they can be duplicated exactly (although in many 
instances they might), but to show what a little 
ingenuity and effort will accomplish in the way of 
overcoming difficulties. 

Nor is the reward for such efforts as these re- 
stricted to the growing of a few more plants. From 
the actual accomplishments described in the second 
part of this book, the reader must see that it is en- 
tirely possible and feasible for one with only aver- 
age advantages to have during a large part or even 
all of the year not only flowers which cannot be 
grown to advantage in the house, but also such vege- 
tables as lettuce, radishes, tomatoes and cucumbers, 
and others if desired; and also to give the flower 
and vegetable gardens such a start as would never 
be possible otherwise. 

Do not attempt too much, but do not be content 
with too little, when only a slight increase in plan- 
ning and work will bring such a tremendous in- 
crease in results and happiness. I feel confident 
that there is not one home out of ten where more 
thought and more information brought to bear on 
the things whereof this book treats, would not yield 
a greater return in actual pleasure than any other 
equal investment which could be made. 

Do not be impatient to get to a description of all 



INTRODUCTION S 

the results at once. Do not skip over the chapters 
on dirt and manures and pots and other seemingly 
uninteresting things, because in a thorough under- 
standing of these essentials lies the foundation of 
success. And if a condition of soil, or an operation 
in handling plants does does not seem clear to you 
as you read it over, remember that in all probability 
it will become so v^^hen you actually attempt the 
work described. Nothing worth while is ever won 
without a little — and often a great deal — of 
patient work. And what is more worth while than 
to keep busy in the constant improvement and 
beautifying of one's daily surroundings? 



CHAPTER II 

THE PROPER CONDITIONS : — LIGHT, TEMPER- 
ATURE AND MOISTURE 

AFTER so much advice as to the possi- 
bility of making conditions right for the 
' growing of plants in the house, the inexperi- 
enced reader will naturally want to know what 
these conditions are. 

LIGHT 

In the first place, almost all plants, whether they 
flower or not, must have an abundance of light, and 
many require sunshine, especially during the dull 
days of winter. Plants without sufficient light 
never make a normal, healthy growth ; the stems are 
long, lanky and weak, the foliage has a semi-trans- 
parent, washed-out look, and the whole plant falls an 
easy victim to disease or insect enemies. Even 
plants grown in the full light of a window, as every- 
one with any experience in managing them knows 
from observation, will draw toward the glass and 
become one-sided with the leaves all facing one 
way. Therefore even with the best of conditions, 
it is necessary to turn them half about every few 
days, preferably every time they are watered, in 

6 



THE PROPER CONDITIONS 7 

order that they may maintain an even, shapely 
growth. 

As a rule the flowering plants, such as geraniums 
and heliotropes, require more light and sunshine 
than those grown for foliage, such as palms, ferns 
and the decorative leaved begonias. It is almost 
impossible, during the winter months, to give any 
of them too much sunlight and where there is any 
danger of this, as sometimes happens in early fall 
or late spring, a curtain of the thinnest material 
will give them ample protection, the necessity being 
not to exclude the light, but simply to break the 
direct action of the sun's rays through glass. 

A great variety of plants may be grown in the 
ordinary window garden, for which the sunniest 
and broadest window available should be selected. 
There are two methods of handling the plants : they 
may be kept as individual specimens in pots and 
"dishes " or " pans " (which are nothing more or 
less than shallow flower pots), or they may be 
grown together in a plant box, made for the purpose 
and usually more or less decorative in itself, that 
will harmonize with and set off the beauty of the 
plants. 

The latter method, that of growing in boxes, of- 
fers two distinct advantages, especially where there 
is likely to be encountered too high a temperature 
and consequent dryness in the air. The plants are 
more easily cared for than they are in pots, which 



8 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

rapidly dry out and need frequent changing; and 
effects in grouping and harmonious decoration may 
be had which are not readily secured with plants in 
pots. On the other hand, it is not possible to give 
such careful attention to individual plants which 
may require it as when they are grown in pots ; nor 
can there be so much re-arrangement and change 
when these are required — and what good house- 
keeper is not a natural born scene shifter, every 
once in so often rolling the piano around to the 
other side of the room, and moving the bookcase or 
changing the big Boston fern over to the other 
window, so it can be seen from the dining-room? 
If the plants are to be kept in pots — and on the 
whole this will generally be the more satisfactory 
method — several shelves of light, smooth wood 
of a convenient width (six to twelve inches) should 
be firmly placed, by means of the common iron 
brackets, in each window to be used. It will help, 
both in keeping the pots in place and in preventing 
muddy water from dripping down to the floor or 
table below, if a thin, narrow strip of wood is 
nailed to each edge of these shelves, extending an 
inch or two above them. A couple of coats of out- 
side paint will also add to the looks and to the life 
of these shelves and further tend to prevent any an- 
noying drip from draining pots. Such a shelf will 
be still further improved by being covered an inch 
or two deep with coarse gravel or fine pebbles. 




if possible it is well to have the house plants in a place 
where the moisture and temperature can be regulated for 

them alone 




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THE PROPER CONDITIONS 9 

This is much better than the use of pot saucers, 
especially for small pots. Where a bay-window is 
used, if cut off from the room by glass doors, or 
even by curtains, it will aid greatly in keeping a 
moist atmosphere about the plants and preventing 
dust from settling on the leaves when sweeping or 
dusting is being done. 

A window-box can readily be made of planed inch 
pine boards, tightly fitted and tightly joined. It 
should be six to ten inches wide and six to eight 
inches deep. If a plain box is used, it will be 
necessary to bore inch holes every six inches or so 
through the bottom to provide for carrying off of 
any excess of water — although, with the method 
of filling the box described in a later chapter, those 
holes would hardly ever be called into service. 
Plants in the house in the winter, however, are as 
likely to suffer from too much water as from too 
little, and therefore, to prevent the disagreeable 
possibility of having dirty drainage water running 
down onto several feet of floor, it will be almost as 
easy, and far better, to have the box constructed 
with a bottom made of two pieces, sloping slightly 
to the center where one hole is made in which a 
cork can be kept. A false bottom of tin or zinc, 
with the requisite number of holes cut out, and 
supported by three or four inch strips of wood 
running lengthways of the box, supplies the drain- 
age. These strips must, of course, be cut in the 



10 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

middle to allow all the water to drain out. The 
false bottom will take care of any ordinary surplus 
of water, which can be drained off into a watering 
can or pitcher by taking out the cork. The de- 
tails of construction of such a box are shown in 
figure I. It will be best to have the box so placed 




Fig. I — Box for plants. AC — false zinc bottom; 

AB, CB — slanting bottom to drain water out at 

hole B. 



Upon its supporting brackets that it can be changed 
occasionally end for end, thus keeping the plants 
growing evenly, and not permitting the blooms con- 
tinually to turn their backs to the inside of the 
room. 

With the above simple provisions one may take 
advantage of all the light to be had in an ordinary 
window. Occasionally a better place may be found 
ready to hand, such as the bay-window illustrated 
facing page 8 or such as that described in the 
preceding chapter, or those mentioned in the first 
chapter of Part II (page 146). The effort de- 
manded will always be repaid many times by greater 



THE PROPER CONDITIONS ii 

ease and greater success in the management of 
plants, and by the wider scope permitted. 

TEMPERATURE 

Next in importance to light, is the matter of 
temperature. The ordinary house plants, to be 
kept in health, require a temperature of sixty-five 
to seventy-five degrees during the day and fifty to 
fifty-five degrees at night. Frequently it will not 
be possible to keep the room from going lower at 
night, but it should be kept as near that as possible ; 
forty-five degrees occasionally will not do injury, 
and even several degrees lower will not prove fatal, 
but if frequently reached the plants will be checked 
and seem to stand still. Plants in the dormant, 
or semi-dormant condition are not so easily injured 
by low temperature as those in full growth; also 
plants which are quite dry will stand much more 
cold than those in moist soil. 

The proper condition of temperature is the most 
difficult thing to regulate and maintain in growing 
plants in the house. There is, however, at least 
one room in almost every house where the night 
temperature does not often go below forty-five or 
fifty degrees, and if necessary all plants may be 
collected into one room during very cold weather. 
Another precaution which will often save them is 
to move them away from the windows; put sheets 
of newspaper inside the panes, not, however, touch- 



12 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

ing the glass, as a '' dead air space " must be left 
between. Where there is danger of freezing, a 
kerosene lamp or stove left burning in the room 
overnight vi^ill save them. Never, when the temper- 
ature outside is below freezing, should plants be left 
where leaves or blossoms may touch the glass. 

As with the problem of light, so with that of 
temperature — the specially designed place for 
plants, no matter how small or simple a little nook 
it may be, offers greater facility for furnishing the 
proper conditions. But it is, of course, not impera- 
tive, and as I have said, there is probably not one 
home in twenty where a number of sorts of plants 
cannot be safely carried through the winter. 

MOISTURE 

It would seem, at first thought, that the proper 
condition of moisture could be furnished as easily 
in the house as anywhere. And so it can be as far 
as applying water to the soil is concerned; but the 
air in most dwellings in winter is terribly deficient 
in moisture. The fact that a room is so dry that 
plants cannot live in it should sound a warning 
to us who practically live there for days at a time, 
but it does not, and we continue to contract all sorts 
of nose and throat troubles, to say nothing of more 
serious diseases. No room too dry for plants to 
live in is fit for people to live in. Hot-air and steam 
heating systems especially, produce an over-dry con- 



THE PROPER CONDITIONS 13 

dition of the atmosphere. This can be overcome to a 
great or complete extent by thorough ventilation 
and by keeping water constantly where it can 
evaporate; over radiators, etc. This should be 
done for the sake of your own health, if not for 
that of the plant. 

Further information as to watering and ventila- 
tion will be found in Chapter VII (page 45), but be- 
fore we get anxious about just how to take care of 
plants we must know how to get them, and before 
getting them we must know what to give them to 
grow in — the plant's foundation. So for a little we 
must be content with those prosaic but altogether 
essential matters of soil, manures and fertilizers, 
which in the next chapter I shall try to make clear 
in as brief manner as possible. 



CHAPTER III 

SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 

THE soil must furnish the whole foundation 
of plant life. For centuries those who 
have grown things have realized the vital 
importance of having the soil rich or well supplied 
with plant food; and if this is important in grow- 
ing plants in the field or flower garden, where each 
vegetable or flower has from one to several cubic 
feet of earth in which to grow, how imperative it 
is to have rich soil in a pot or plant box where each 
plant may have but a few cubic inches! 

But the trouble is not so much in knowing that 
plants should be given rich soil, as to know how to 
furnish it. I well remember my first attempt at 
making soil rich and thinking how I would surprise 
my grandmother, who worked about her plants in 
pots every day of her life, and still did not have 
them as big as they grew in the flower garden. I 
had seen the hired man put fertilizer on the garden. 
That was the secret ! So I got a wooden box about 
two-thirds full of mellow garden earth, and filled 
most of the remaining space with fertilizer, well 
mixed into the soil, as I had seen him fix it. I re- 
member that my anxiety was not that I get too 

14 



SOILS. MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 15 

much fertilizer in the soil, but that I would take so 
much out of the bag that it would be missed. 
Great indeed was my chagrin and disappointment, 
twelve hours after carefully setting out and 
watering my would-be prize plants, to notice that 
they had perceptibly turned yellow and wilted. 
And I certainly had made the soil rich. 

So the problem is by no means as simple as might 
at first be supposed. Not only must sufficient plant 
food be added to the soil but it must be in certain 
forms, and neither too much nor too little may be 
given if the best results are to be attained. 

Now it is a fact established beyond all dispute 
that not only food, but air and water, as well, must 
be supplied to the roots of growing plants; and 
this being the case, the mechanical condition of the 
soil in which the plant is to grow has a great deal 
to do with its success or failure. It must be what 
is termed a porous and friable soil — that is, one so 
light and open that water will drain through it with- 
out making it a compact, muddy mass. One of the 
things I noticed about my special fertilizer soil, 
mentioned above, was that it settled, after being 
watered, into a solid mass from which water would 
not drain and into which air could not penetrate. 

It is next to impossible to find a soil just right 
for house plants, so, as a general thing the only way 
to get a good soil is to mix it yourself. For this 
purpose several ingredients are used. If you live 



i6 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

in a village or suburb, where the following may be 
procured, your problem is not a difficult one. Take 
about equal parts of rotted sod, rotted horse manure 
and leaf-mould from the woods and mix thoroughly 
and together, adding from one-sixth to one-third, 
in bulk, of coarse sand. If a considerable quantity 
of soil will be required during the year, it will be 
well to have some place, such as a bin or large bar- 
rel, in which to keep a supply of each ingredient. 
The sod should be cut three or four inches thick, 
and stacked in layers with the grassy sides together, 
giving an occasional soaking, if the weather is dry, 
to hasten rotting. The manure should be decom- 
posed under cover, and turned frequently at first 
to prevent burning out; or sod and manure can be 
rotted together, stacking them in alternate layers 
and forking over two or three times after rotting 
has begun. The manure furnishes plant food to 
the compost, the rotted sod " body," the leaf-mould 
water-absorbing qualities, and the sand, drainage 
qualities. 

If the soil is wanted at once, and no rotted sod is 
to be had, use good garden loam, preferably from 
some spot which was under clover-sod the year be- 
fore. If it is difficult to obtain well-rotted manure, 
street sweepings may be used as a substitute, and 
old chip-dirt from under the wood pile, or the bot- 
tom of the woodshed if it has a dirt floor, will do in 
place of leaf -mould. Peat, or thoroughly dried 



SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 17 

and sweetened muck are also good substitutes for 
leaf-mould. Finely screened coal ashes may take 
the place of sand. 

If you live in the city, where it is difficult to ob- 
tain and to handle the several materials mentioned, 
the best way is to get your soil ready mixed at the 
florists, as a bushel will fill numerous pots. If you 
prefer to mix it yourself, or to add any of the in- 
gredients to the soil you may have, most florists can 
supply you with light soil, sand, peat or leaf-mould 
and rotted manure; and sphagnum moss, pots, 
saucers and other things required for your outfit. 
If a large supply is wanted, it would probably be 
cheaper to go to some establishment on the out- 
skirts of the city where things are actually grown, 
than to depend upon the retail florist nearer at hand. 

Potting soil when ready to use should be moist 
enough to be pressed into a ball by the hand, but 
never so moist as not to crumble to pieces again 
readily beneath the finger. 

MANURES 

Manure of some sort is essential to the growing 
of plants in pots or boxes, both because of the plant- 
food it adds to the soil, and because it improves its 
mechanical condition and sponginess or water-hold- 
ing quality. Thoroughly rotted horse manure or 
horse and cow manure mixed is by far the best. 
Cow manure alone, or pig manure, is lumpy and 



i8 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

cold, and hen, sheep, pigeon or other special man- 
ures are not safe in the hands of the beginner, as 
they are one-sided, being especially rich in nitrogen 
and likely either to burn the plants or to cause too 
soft and watery growth. 

This brings us to the point where it is necessary 
to say a few words about the theory of manures, 
for they are not all alike and what would be wise 
to give a plant under some circumstances under 
others would be quite wrong, just as you would not 
think of feeding beefsteak to a baby just recovering 
from the colic, while it might be a very good thing 
for a hungry man who was going to saw up your 
wood-pile. 

Plants of all sorts — in pots, in the garden or in 
a ten-acre lot — require three kinds of food ele- 
ments: nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. 
These elements may be fed to the plants in various 
forms ; for instance, the nitrogen in hen manure, or 
in cottonseed meal, or in salts from the nitrate fields 
of Chile, known as nitrate of soda; the phosphoric 
acid from bone, or from acid phosphate (a ground 
rock treated with acid) ; the potash from wood ashes 
or from German potash salts (muriate or sulphate 
of potash). Plants, to do their best, require that 
all three elements shall be present in sufficient 
amounts to supply their wants. 

It is not necessary, however, to go very deeply 
into the science of plant foods in order to grow 



SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 19 

plants successfully. Fortunately, manure rotted as 
described above, furnishes all three elements in 
about the right proportions. Cow, sheep, hen and 
pigeon manure are best used as described later, 
under " Liquid Manuring." 

FERTILIZERS 

There are many brands of mixed fertilizers pre- 
pared specially for use in the greenhouse or on 
plants in pots. There is a temptation to use these 
on account of their convenient compact form, and 
because they are more agreeable to handle. As a 
general rule, however, much better results will be 
obtained by relying on rotted manure. 

If you want to use fertilizers at all — and for 
certain purposes they will be very valuable — T 
would advise restricting the list to the following 
pure materials which are not mixed, and which are 
always uniform; nitrate of soda, cottonseed meal, 
pure fine ground bone, and wood ashes. (Several 
of the other chemicals are good, but not so com- 
monly used.) 

Ground bone is the most valuable of these. It 
should be what is known as " fine ground," or bone 
dust. It induces a strong but firm growth, and can 
be used safely in the potting soil, supplementing the 
manure as a source of plant food. From two to 
three quarts to a bushel of soil is the right amount 
to use. It should be thoroughly mixed through the 



20 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

soil. It may also be frequently used to advantage 
as a top dressing on plants that have exhausted the 
food in their pots, or while developing buds or 
blooming. Work two or three spoonfuls into the 
top of the soil. 

Nitrate of soda is the next in importance. It is 
very strong and must be carefully used, the safest 
way being to use it as a liquid manure, one or two 
teaspoonsful dissolved in three gallons of water. 
If first dissolved in a pint of hot water, and then 
added to the other, it will be more quickly done. 
Use a pint or so of this solution in watering. The 
results will often be wonderful. 

Cottonseed meal may be safely mixed with the 
soil, like ground bone, but requires some time in 
which to rot, before the plant can make use of it. 

Wood ashes are also safe, and good to add to the 
potting soil. They help to make a firm, hard 
growth, as a result of the potash they furnish. 
Where plants seem to be making a too rapid, 
watery growth, wood ashes may be applied to the 
surface and worked in. 

With a soil prepared as directed in the first part 
of this chapter, there will be very little need for 
using any other of the fertilizers, until plants have 
been shifted into their last pots and have filled 
them with roots. When this stage is reached the 
use of liquid manures as described later will fre- 
quently be beneficial. If, however, a plant for any 



SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 21 

reason seems backward, or slower in growth than 
it should be, an application or two of nitrate of soda 
will often produce results almost marvelous. Be 
sure, however, that your troubles are not due to 
some mistake in temperature, ventilation or water- 
ing, before you ascribe them to improper or ex- 
hausted soil. 

Now, having had the patience to find out some- 
thing about the conditions under which plants ought 
to succeed, let us proceed to the more interesting 
work of actually making them grow. 




CHAPTER IV 

STARTING PLANTS FROM SEED 

NE of the ways of getting a supply of plants 
for the house is to start them from seed. 
With a number of varieties, better speci- 
mens may be obtained by this method than by any 
other. Most of the annuals, and many of the bien- 
nials and perennials, are best reproduced in this 
way. 

Simple as the art of starting plants from seed 
may seem, there are a number of things which must 
be thought of, and done correctly. We must give 
them a proper situation, soil, temperature, covering 
and amount of moisture, and when once above 
ground they need careful attention until lifted and 
started on their way as individual plants. 

The number of plants of one sort which will be 
required for the house is naturally not large, and 
for that reason beginners often try starting their 
seeds in pots. But a pot is not a good thing to try 
to start plants in : the amount of earth is too small 
and dries out quickly. Seed pans are better, but 
even they must be watched very carefully. A 
wooden box, or flat, is better still. Cigar boxes 
are often used with good results ; but a more satis- 

22 



STARTING PLANTS FROM SEEDS 23 

factory way is to make a few regular flats from a 
soap or cracker box bought at the grocer's. Saw it 
lengthwise into sections two inches deep, being care- 
ful to first draw out nails and wire staples in the 
way, and bottom these with material of the same 
sort. Either leave the bottom boards half an inch 
apart, or bore seven or eight half-inch holes in the 
bottom of each, to provide thorough drainage. If 
they are to be used in the house, a coat or two of 
paint will make them very presentable. Of course 
one such box will accommodate a great many seeds 
— enough to start two hundred to a thousand little 
plants — but you can sow them in rows, as described 
later, and thus put from three to a dozen sorts in 
each box. 

Where most beginners fail in attempting to start 
seeds is in not taking the trouble to prepare a proper 
soil. They are willing to take any amount of 
trouble with watering and heat and all that, but 
they will not fix a suitable soil. The soil for the 
seed box need not be rich, in fact it is better not to 
have manure in it; but very porous and very light 
it must be, especially for such small seeds as most 
flowers have. Such a soil may be mixed up from 
rotted sod (or garden loam), leaf -mould and sharp 
sand, used in equal proportions. If the loam used 
is clayey, it may take even a larger proportion of 
sand. The resulting mixture should be extremely 
fine and crumbling, and feel almost " light as a 



24 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

feather " in the hand. If the sod and mould have 
not already been screened, rub the compost through 
a sieve of not more than quarter-inch mesh — such 
as a coal-ash sifter. This screening will help also 
to incorporate the several ingredients evenly and 
thoroughly. 

While we provided holes in the seed box for 
drainage, it is best to take even further precautions 
in this matter by covering the bottom of the box 
with nearly an inch of coarse material, such as the 
roots and half decayed leaves, screened out of the 
sods and leaf-mould. On the top of this put the pre- 
pared soil, filling the box to within about a quarter 
of an inch of the top, and packing down well into 
the corners and along sides and ends. The box 
should not be filled level full, because in subsequent 
waterings there would be no space to hold the water 
which would run off over the sides instead of soak- 
ing down into the soil. 

The usual way is to fill the boxes and sow the 
seed, and then water the box on the surface, but I 
mention here a method which I have used in my 
own work for two years. When filling the box, set 
it in some place where it may be watered freely, 
such as on the cellar floor, if too cold to work out- 
doors. After putting in the first layer of coarse 
material, give it a thorough soaking and then put 
in about two-thirds of the rest of the soil required 
and give that a thorough watering also. The bal- 



STARTING PLANTS FROM SEEDS 25 

ance of the soil is then put in and made level, the 
seeds sown, and no further watering given, or just 
enough to moisten the surface and hold it in place, 
if dry. The same result can be obtained by filling 
and sowing the box in the usual way, and then plac- 
ing it in some place — such as the kitchen sink — in 
about an inch of water, and leaving it until mois- 
ture, not water, shows upon the surface. Either 
of these ways is much surer than the old method 
of trying to soak the soil through from the surface 
after planting, in which case it is next to impossible 
to wet the soil clear through without washing out 
some of the small seeds. 

After filling the box as directed, make the soil 
perfectly smooth and level with a small flat piece of 
board, or a brick. Do not pack it down hard, — 
just make it firm. Then mark off straight narrow 
lines, one to two inches apart, according to the size 
of the seed to be sown. 

The instructions usually given are to cover flower 
seeds to from three to five times their own depth. 
You may, if you like, take a foot-rule and try to 
measure the diameter of a begonia or mignonette 
seed; but you will probably save time by simply 
trying to cover small seeds just as lightly as pos- 
sible. I mark off my seed rows with the point of a 
lead pencil — which I have handy back of my ear 
for writing the tags — sow the seed thinly, and as 
evenly as possible by shaking it gently out of a 



56 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

corner of the seed envelope, which is tapped hghtly 
with the lead pencil, and then press each row down 
with the edge of a board about as thick as a shingle. 
Over the whole scatter cocoanut fiber (which may 
be bought of most seedmen) or light prepared soil, 
as thinly as possible — just cover the seeds from 
sight — and press the surface flat with a small piece 
of board. A very light moistening, with a plant 
sprinkler, completes the operation. 

The temperature required in which to start the 
seeds of any plant will be about the same as that 
which the same plant requires when grown. Ger- 
mination will be stronger and quicker, however, if 
ten to fifteen degrees more, especially at night, can 
be supplied. If this can be given as what the flo- 
rists term " bottom heat," that is, applied under the 
seed box, so much the better. 

Until germination actually takes place, there is 
little danger of getting the soil too warm, as it heats 
through from the bottom very slowly. The box 
may be placed on the steam radiator, on a stand 
over the floor radiator, or on a couple of bricks on 
the back of the kitchen range ; or the box may be 
supported over a lamp or small kerosene stove, care 
being taken to have a piece of metal between the 
wood and the direct heat of the flame. For the 
first few days it may be kept in the shade, but as 
soon as the seeds push through they must be given 
all the light possible. 



STARTING PLANTS FROM SEEDS 27 

If the seed flats or pans are prepared by the newer 
method suggested above, they will probably not 
need any further watering, or not more than one, 
until the seeds are up. The necessity of further 
watering, in any case, will be shown by the soil's 
drying out on the surface. In the case of small 
seeds, such as most flower seeds are, the moisture 
in the soil will be retained much longer by keeping 
the box covered with a pane of glass, slightly raised 
at one side. If the box is to be kept in bright sun- 
light, shade the glass with a piece of paper, until 
the seedlings are up, which will be in a day or so 
with some sorts, and weeks with others. 

From the time the little plants come up, until they 
are ready to prick off in other flats or into pots, the 
boxes should never be allowed to dry out. If 
they are being grown in winter or early spring, 
while the days are still short and the sun low, 
they will require very little water, and it should be 
applied only on bright mornings. In autumn and 
late spring, especially the latter, they will require 
more, and if the boxes dry out quickly, you should 
apply it toward evening. In either case, do not 
water until the soil is beginning to dry on the sur- 
face, and then water thoroughly, or until the soil 
will not readily absorb more. If you will take the 
pains, and have the facilities for doing it, by far 
the best way to keep the seed boxes supplied with 
moisture is to place them, when dry, in an inch or 



28 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

so of water (as described for seed sowing) and let 
them soak up what they need, or until the surface 
of the soil becomes moist. This does the job more 
evenly and thoroughly than it can be done from the 
surface, and is also a safeguard against damping off, 
that dreaded disease of seedlings which is likely to 
carry away your whole sowing in one day — a de- 
caying of the stem just at or below the soil. 

From the time the seedlings come up they should 
be given abundance of light, and all the air possible 
while maintaining the required temperature. It 
will be possible, except on very cold dark days, to 
give them fresh air. Never, however, let a draft of 
air more than a few degrees colder than the room 
in which they are blow directly upon them. 

The secret of growing the little plants until they 
are ready for their first shift is not so much in the 
amount of care given, as in its regularity. Tend 
them every day — it will take only a few minutes 
time. When the second true leaf appears they will 
be ready for their first change, which is described in 
Chapter VI. 




^^* 





A new scheme of sub-irrigation for flats. Some porous ma- 
terial such as sphagnum moss or excelsior (as here) is put 
on the open bottom and the flat watered by allowing it to stand 
in a sink or tub for a few minutes 




Cuttings ready for the sand ; the leaves have been clipped hack. 
From left to right, heliotrope, geranium, "-^atience ^'.ant'' 




Geranium cuttings ready to pot. Notice the roots, which 
should not be allowed to grow more than half or three- 
quarters of an inch long before potting 



CHAPTER V 

STARTING PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 

WHILE many plants are best started from 
seed, as described in the preceding 
chapter, there are many which cannot be 
so reproduced; especially named varieties which 
will not come true from seeds, but revert to older 
and inferior types. 

Also it very frequently happens that one has a 
choice plant of some sort of which the seed is not 
to be obtained, and in this case also it becomes neces- 
sary to reproduce the plant in some other way. 

Where large numbers of plants are to be started, 
and they may be had from seed, that is usually the 
best way in which to work up a supply : but where 
only a few are wanted, as for house plants or use 
in a small garden, propagation by cuttings is the 
quickest and most satisfactory method. Practically 
all of the house plants, including most of those 
which can be started from seed, may be increased 
in this way. 

The matter of first importance, when starting 

plants by this system, is to have strong, healthy 

cuttings of the right degree of hardiness. Take 

29 



30 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

your cuttings only from plants that are in full vigor, 
and growing strongly. They should be taken from 
what is termed " new growth," that is the terminal 
portions of shoots, which have not yet become old 
and hard. The proper condition of the wood may 
be determined by the following test: if the stem 
is bent between the fingers it should snap (like a 
green bean) ; if it bends and doubles without break- 
ing it is either too old and will not readily root, 
or too soft and will be almost sure to wilt or rot. 

The cutting should be from two to four inches 
long, according to the plant and variety to be prop- 
agated. It should be cut off slant-wise, as this 
will assist in its being pushed firmly down into the 
cutting box. It may be cut either near, or between 
a joint or eye — with the exception of a few plants, 
noted later. The lower leaves should be taken off 
clean; those remaining, if large, shortened back, as 
shown in the illustration facing page 29. Then the 
plant will not be so likely to wilt. 

If the cuttings cannot be put in the propagating 
medium immediately after being made, keep them 
in the shade, and if necessary sprinkle to prevent 
wilting. I once obtained a batch of chrysanthemum 
cuttings from a brother florist who said that they 
were so badly wilted that they could never be rooted. 
I immersed them all in water for several hours, 
which revived them, and had the satisfaction of 
rooting almost every one. 



STARTING PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 31 

The medium most commonly used in which to 
root cuttings is clean, medium-coarse sand, such as 
builders use. It must not be so fine as to pack 
tightly, nor so coarse as to fit loosely about the cut- 
tings, and admit air so freely as to dry them out. 

Make a flat similar to that used for starting seeds, 
but four or five inches deep. Place in the bottom 
an inch or two of gravel or coal ashes, covered 
lightly with moss or a single thickness of old bag, 
and then fill nearly full of clean sand. Make this 
level, and give a thorough soaking. After drying 
out for an hour or so, it is ready for the cuttings. 

Mark the box ofif in straight lines, two or three 
inches apart, and insert the cuttings as closely as 
possible without touching, and to a depth of about 
one-third or one-half their length. A small, pointed 
stick, or dibber, will be convenient in getting them 
in firmly. Wet them down to pack the sand closely 
around them. 

The best temperature for the room in which the 
cutting box is to be kept will be from fifty to fifty- 
five degrees at night. Like the seed box, however, 
it will be greatly helped by ten or fifteen degrees of 
bottom heat in addition. For method of giving 
this extra bottom heat, see page 26. 

If the box is kept in a bright sunny place, shade 
the cuttings with a piece of newspaper during the 
heat of the day, to prevent wilting, and if the 
weather is so hot that the room is warmer than 



Z2 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

seventy degrees, an occasional light sprinkling will 
help to keep them fresh. 

Never let the sand dry out or all your work will 
be lost. As a rule, it will require a thorough soak- 
ing every morning. 

With these precautions taken, the cuttings should 
begin to throw out roots in from eight to twenty 
days, according to conditions and varieties. Do not 
let them stay in the sand after the roots form; it 
is much better to pot them off at once, before the 
mots get more than half an inch long. If some 
of the cuttings have not rooted but show a granu- 
lated condition where they were cut, they will be 
safe to pot off, as they will, as a rule, root in the 
soil. 

The above method is the one usually employed. 
There is another, however, just as easy and more 
certain in results, especially where bottom heat 
cannot easily be had. It is called the " saucer " 
system of propagation. Make the cuttings as de- 
scribed above. Put the sand in a deep, water-tight 
dish, such as a glazed earthenware dish or a deep 
soup plate, and pack the cuttings in as thickly as 
necessary. Wet the sand to the consistency of mud 
and keep the dish in a warm light place. The 
temperature may be higher than when using the 
sand box, and there will not be a necessity for 
shading. The sand must be kept constantly satu- 
rated: that is the whole secret of success with this 



STARTING PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 33 

method of rooting cuttings. Pot them off as soon 
as the roots begin to grow. 

Cuttings made by the two systems described 
above are usually taken in autumn, or in spring. 
When it is necessary to get new plants during June, 
July or August, a method called " layering in the 
air" will have to be resorted to if you would be 
certain of results. Instead of taking the cutting 
clean off, cut it nearly through; the smallest shred 
of wood and bark will keep it from wilting, but it 
should be kept upright, for if it hangs down the end 
of the shoot will immediately begin to turn up, 
making a U-shaped cutting. The cuttings are left 
thus partly attached for about eight days or until 
they are thoroughly calloused, when they are taken 
off and potted, like rooted cuttings, but giving a lit- 
tle more sand in the soil and not quite so much 
water. They are, of course, shaded for several 
days. 

Some of the plants ordinarily grown in the house, 
such as Rex begonias, rubber plants, sword ferns, 
are best increased by leaf cuttings, topping, layering 
or other methods differing from seed sowing or 
rooting cuttings. These several operations will be 
described in treating of the plants for which they 
are used. 

Having carried our little plants safely through 
the first stage of their growth, it is necessary that 
we use some care in getting them established as in- 



34 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

dividuals, and give them the best possible prepara- 
tion for successful service in their not unimportant 
w^orld. 



CHAPTER VI 

TRANSPLANTING, POTTING AND REPOTTING 

DIRECTIONS have already been given for 
preparing the best soil for house plants. 
This soil, sifted through a coarse screen — 
say a one-half inch mesh — is just right for '' prick- 
ing off " or transplanting the little seedlings. 

Use flats similar to those prepared for the seeds, 
but an inch deeper. In the bottom put an inch of 
the rough material screened from sods and manure. 
Give this a thorough watering; cover with an inch 
of the sifted soil, and wet this down also. Then 
fill the box nearly level full of the sifted soil, which 
should be neither dry nor moist enough to be sticky. 
Take care also that this soil is not much — if any — 
colder than the temperature in which the seedlings 
have been kept. 

It is usually best to transplant the seedlings just 
as soon as they are large enough to be handled, 
which is as soon as the second true leaf appears. 
Nothing is gained by leaving them in the seed 
boxes longer, as they soon begin to crowd and get 
lanky and are more likely to be attacked by the 
damping off fungus than they are after being trans- 
ferred. 

35 



36 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Find a table or bench of the right height upon 
which to work comfortably. With a flat stick, or 
with a transplanting fork (which can be had for 
fifteen cents) lift a bunch of the little plants out, 
dirt and all, clear to the bottom of the box. Hold 
this clump in one hand and with the other gently 
tear away the seedlings, one at a time, discarding 
all crooked or weak ones. Never attempt to pull 
the seedlings from the soil in the flat, as the little 
rootlets are very easily broken off. They should 
come away almost intact, as shown facing page 48. 
Water the seed flats the day previous to transplant- 
ing, so that the soil will be in just the right condi- 
tion, neither wet enough to make the roots sticky, 
nor so dry as to crumble away. 

Take the little seedling by the stem between the 
thumb and forefinger, and with a small round 
pointed stick or dibber, or with the forefinger of 
the other hand, make a hole deep enough to re- 
ceive the roots and about half the length — more 
if the seedlings are lanky — of the stem. As the 
little plant is dropped into place, the tips of both 
thumbs and forefingers, by one quick, firm move- 
ment, compress the earth firmly both down on the 
roots and against the stem so that the plant sticks 
upright and may not readily be pulled out. Of 
course there is a knack about It which cannot be 
put into words — I could have pricked off a hun- 
dred seedlings In the time I am spending in trying 



TRANSPLANTING, POTTING AND REPOTTING 37 

to describe the operation — but a little practice will 
make one reasonably efficient at it. 

When the flat is completed, jar it slightly to level 
the surface and give a watering, being careful, how- 
ever, to bend down the plants as little as possible. 
Set the plants on a level surface, and if the sun 
is bright, shade with newspapers during the middle 
of the day for two or three days. 

From now on until ready for potting, keep at the 
required temperature, as near as possible, and water 
thoroughly on bright mornings when necessary, 
but only when the drying of the surface shows that 
the soil needs it. Above all, give all the air pos- 
sible, while maintaining the necessary heat. The 
quality of the mature plants will depend more upon 
this precaution than upon anything else in the way 
of care. 

The little seedlings are sometimes put from the 
seed flat directly into small pots. I strongly advise 
the method described above. The flats save room 
and care, and the plants do much better for a few 
weeks than they will in pots. Where room is 
scarce, it is well to transplant cuttings into flats in- 
stead of potting them off. As soon, however, as 
either the transplanted plants or cuttings begin to 
crowd in the flats, they must be put into pots. How 
soon this will be depends largely, of course, upon 
the amount of room they have been given. As 
many as a hundred are often set in a flat 13x19 



38 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

inches, but it is well to give them twice as much 
space as that if room permits. 

POTTING 

Cuttings and small plants are put into two-inch 
or " thumb " pots. Some of the larger growing 
geraniums or very sturdy plants require two-and- 
one-half inch pots, but the smaller size should be 
used when possible. 

The soil for pots up to three inches should be 
screened, but not made too fine. A coal-ash sifter, 
or half-inch screen will do. The soil should be 
made up as directed in Chapter III. 

The pots should be thoroughly cleaned with sand 
and water, or by a several days' soaking, and then 
wiping out with a cloth, if they have been used be- 
fore. An old pot, with dirt sticking to the inside 
and the pores all clogged up, will not do good work. 
Old or new, they should be immersed in water until 
through bubbling just before using; otherwise they 
will absorb too much moisture from the soil. 

The method of potting should depend somewhat 
upon the condition of the roots of the cutting. If 
they are less than half an inch long, as they should 
be, fill the pot level full of soil, make a hole with 
the forefinger of one hand; insert the cutting to 
about half its depth with the other, rap the bottom 
of the pot smartly against the bench to settle the 
earth, and then press it down firmly with the thumbs, 



TRANSPLANTING, POTTING AND REPOTTING 39 

leveling it as the pot is placed to one side in an 
empty flat. (The jarring down of the soil should 
precede the firming with the thumbs, as this will 
compact the soil more evenly within the pot.) This 
should leave the soil a little below the rim of the 
pot, making a space to hold water when watering; 
and the cutting should be so firmly embedded that 
it cannot be moved without breaking the soil. 

With cuttings whose roots have been allowed to 
grow an inch or more in length, and plants with a 
considerable ball of roots — as they should have 
when coming from the transplanting flats — it is 
better partly to fill the pot. Hold the plant or cut- 
ting in position with the left hand and press the soil 
in about it with the right hand — firming it as di- 
rected in the former case. With a little practice 
either operation can be performed very rapidly. 
Florists do four to five hundred pots an hour. 

When for any reason it is necessary to put a small 
or weakly rooted plant or cutting, or a cutting that 
is just on the point of sending forth roots, in a pot 
that seems too large, put it near the edge of the pot, 
instead of in the middle. This will often save a 
plant which would otherwise be lost, and at the next 
shift it can, of course, be put in the center of the pot. 

If no small pots are at hand, several small plants 
or cuttings can be put around the edge of a four- or 
five-inch pot, with good results. Care must be 
taken, however, not to give too much water. 



40 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

As soon as the little plants or cuttings are potted 
up, give them a thorough watering and place them 
where the holes in the bottoms of the pots will not 
be clogged with soil. A large flat, in the bottom of 
which an inch of pebbles, coarse sand or sifted cin- 
ders has been put, will be a good place for them. 
Keep shaded during the hot part of the day for three 
or four days. At first the pots may be placed as 
close together as possible, but in a very short time — 
two weeks at the most, if the growing conditions are 
right — they will need to be put farther apart. 
Nothing will injure them so quickly as being left 
crowded together where they cannot get enough air. 
Better, if necessary, give or throw away half of them 
than to attempt to grow fifty plants where you have 
room for only two dozen. 

As before, water only when necessary, i.e., when 
the surface of the soil begins to look whitish and dry. 
Then water thoroughly. Until by practice you 
know just what they need, knock a few out of the 
pots, say fifteen minutes after watering, and see if 
the ball of earth has been wet through to the bottom ; 
if not, you are not doing the job thoroughly. If the 
pots do not dry out between waterings, but stay 
muddy and heavy, either your soil is not right or 
you have used pots too large for your plants. 

REPOTTING 

In the course of a week or two, if a plant is 




Potted cutting^ ready for shifting to a larger pot. Fruni left 
to right, iv}' geranium, snapdragon, geranirm and dusty miller 




Some plants, like Rex begonia, will strike root from their 
leaves if perforated with a knife into damp sand 



li 




In all potted plants an important detail is the placing of rough 

drainage material, such as broken pieces of pot, charcoal, 

ashes, etc., at the bottom, to prevent moisture from settling 

in the soil and souring it 



TRANSPLANTING. POTTING AND REPOTTING 41 

knocked out, the small white roots may be seen 
coming through the ball of earth and beginning to 
curl around the outside of it. The time for re- 
potting the young plants will have been reached when 
these roots have made a thick network around the 
ball of earth, but before they become brown and 
woody; that is, while they are still white and succu- 
lent — "working roots," as the florists term them. 

The shift, as a general rule, should be to a pot 
only one size larger, that is, from a three to a four, 
or a four to a five. 

Remove the plant from the old pot by holding the 
stem of the plant between the index and middle 
finger of the left hand, and with the right inverting 
the pot and rapping the edge of the rim sharply 
against the edge of the bench or table. 

Before putting the plant into the new pot, remove 
the top half inch of soil and gently loosen up the 
lower half of the ball of roots, if it is firmly matted. 

Put soil in the bottom of the pot to such a depth 
that when the ball of roots is covered with half an 
inch or so of new soil, the surface thereof will still 
be about half an inch below the rim of the pot. 
Hold the plant in place with the left hand, and with 
the right fill in around it, making the soil firm as 
before. Water and care is the same as after the first 
potting. 

Pots four inches or over in size should be crocked 
to make certain of sufficient drainage. The best 



42 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

material to use is broken charcoal, in pieces one-half 
to an inch in diameter. Pieces of broken pots, cin- 
ders or rough pebbles will do. Be sure that the 
drainage hole is not covered; if pieces of pots are 
used, put the concave side down over the hole, as il- 
lustrated facing page 41. The depth of the drainage 
material, or crocking, will be from half an inch to 
three inches, according to the size of the pot. Over 
this rough material put a little screenings, leaf 
mould or sphagnum moss, to prevent the soil's wash- 
ing down into it. Then fill in with soil and pot in 
the regular way. 

The time for repotting house plants is at the be- 
ginning of their growing season. It varies, of 
course, with the different kinds. The great ma- 
jority, however, start into new growth in the spring 
and should be repotted from the middle of March 
to the middle of May. Plants kept through the 
winter for stock plants are usually started up and re- 
potted early in February to induce the abundant new 
growth that furnishes cuttings. The method 
of repotting will depend on the nature of the plant. 
Soft-wooded plants, like geraniums, are put in in the 
ordinary way and firmed with the fingers. The 
palms do best with the new soil more firmly packed 
about the old ball of roots. Hard-wooded plants 
with very fine roots, like the azaleas, should have 
the soil rammed down firmly about the old ball ; for 
which purpose it is necessary to use a blunt, flat 



TRANSPLANTING, POTTING AND REPOTTING 43 

piece of wood, of convenient size. In repotting 
such plants, it is well to let the ball of roots soak 
several minutes in a pail of water before putting into 
the new pot. If very densely matted, make several 
holes in it with a spike, working it around, and 
leave the soil a little lower at the center of the pot 
to induce the water to run down through the root 
ball. 

Plants that have been crocked in the? old pots 
should have this material removed, if possible, be- 
fore going into their new quarters. 

Plants in large pots often use up all the plant food 
available, and where they cannot be given still larger 
pots become quite a problem. They are usually 
handsome specimens which one does not like to 
lose. Remove such a plant from its pot and care- 
fully zvash all the soil from the roots ; clean the pot 
and carefully repot in fresh soil in the same pot. 
The result will be extremely satisfactory. 

Until one has become proficient in the art of pot- 
ting, it will pay well to practice with every plant and 
cutting that may be had. If you have mistakes to 
make, make them with these, so that your favorite 
plants may be handled safely. 



CHAPTER VII 

MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS 

THERE are some general rules that will ap- 
ply to taking care of all plants in the 
house; then there are several groups, the 
different sorts in which are handled more or less 
alike; and lastly there are the individual require- 
ments of the plants in the several groups to be con- 
sidered. 

Information about all these varieties, as given in 
the usual way, results in a more or less confusing 
mass of detail. It is for the purpose of getting 
this information into as plain a form as possible 
that the instructions in the first chapters of this book 
have been given in such detail; and those instruc- 
tions should be used in conjunction with the fol- 
lowing pages. The beginner cannot expect to fully 
comprehend the suggestions given until the plain 
everyday operations of plant growing have become 
familiar. 

Much of what has been said in the previous pages 
has borne upon the several points of managing 
plants successfully in the house. It will be of use, 
however, to have those various suggestions brought 
together in condensed form. 

44 



MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS 45 

In the first place it must be remembered that at 
best it is hard to get conditions in the living-room 
that will be suitable for the healthy growth of 
plants. Every effort should be made to prepare a 
place for them in which such conditions may be 
made as nearly ideal as possible: plenty of light, 
evenly regulated temperature; moisture in the air. 

For most house plants the temperature should 
be 50 to 55 at night and 65 to 75 during the day. 
An occasional night temperature of 45 or even 40 
will not do great harm but if reached frequently 
will check the growth of the plants. 

Air should be given every day when the tempera- 
ture of the room will not be too greatly lowered 
thereby. Avoid direct drafts, as sudden chills are 
apt to produce bad results. Even on very cold 
days, fresh air may be let in indirectly, through a 
window open in an adjoining room or through a 
hall. It is better, when possible, to give a little 
ventilation during an hour or two, than to rush 
too sudden a lowering of the temperature by trying 
to do it all in fifteen minutes. 

The amount of water which should be given will 
depend both upon the plant and upon the season. 
During the dull days of winter and during the 
" resting season '' of all plants, very little water 
will be required. It should be given on bright 
mornings. During early fall and late spring, when 
the pots or boxes dry out very rapidly, water in 



46 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

the evening. In either case, however, withhold 
water until the soil is beginning to get on the '^ dry 
side " and then water thoroughly. Water should 
be given until it runs down through into the saucers 
but should not be allowed to remain there. 

Sometimes it will be beneficial to moisten the 
foliage of plants without wetting the soil. Just 
after repotting and in fighting plant lice, red spider 
and other insect enemies (see Chapter XVII) this 
treatment will be necessary. A fine-rose spray on 
the watering-can may be used but a rubber plant- 
sprinkler costing about sixty-five cents, will 
be very much better, as with it the water will 
be applied in a finer spray with a great deal more 
force and to either the upper or under surface of 
the leaves — a point of great importance. 

Plants growing in windows, where the light 
strikes them only, or mostly, from one side, should 
be frequently turned to prevent their growing one- 
sided. 

Also do not hesitate to use knife, scissors and 
fingers in keeping them symmetrical and shapely. 
One of the greatest mistakes that amateurs make is 
in being afraid to cut an ungainly or half leafless 
branch. Instead of injuring a plant, such pruning 
frequently is an actual benefit. 

If neglected, dust will quickly gather on the 
leaves and clog their pores, and as the plants have 
no way of breathing but through their leaves, you 



MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS 47 

can see what the result must be. Syringing, men- 
tioned above, will help. They should also be wiped 
clean with a soft dry cloth, especially such plants 
as palms, rubbers. Rex begonias. Do not use olive 
oil or any other sticky substance on the cloth. Al- 
ways remove at once any broken, dead or diseased 
leaf or flower. Do not let flowering plants go to 
seed : nothing else will so quickly bring the bloom- 
ing period to a close. 

Do not try to force your plants into continuous 
growth. Almost without exception they demand 
a period of rest, and if you do not allow them to 
take it when nature suggests, they will take it 
themselves when you do not want them to. The 
natural rest period is during the winter. During 
this time a very little water will do and no repotting 
or manuring should be attempted. 

It is, however, desirable in some cases, as with 
many of the flowering plants, to change the season 
bloom, as we want their beauty during the winter. 
In such cases they should be made to rest during 
the summer, by withholding water and keeping 
them disbudded. 

Many beginners get the idea that as soon as any 
plant has filled its pot with roots it must be im- 
mediately shifted to a larger one. While this is as 
a rule true with small plants, being grown on, it is 
not at all true of mature plants, especially those 
wanted to bloom in the house. When a shift has 



48 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

been given, at the beginning of the growing period, 
no further change should be necessary during the 
winter. It will, however, be well, if not imperative, 
to furnish food in the form of liquid manures when 
the soil in the pot has become filled with roots. It 
should be applied from one to three times a week — 
the former being sufficient for a plant showing 
ordinary growth. 

All the animal manures, cow, horse, sheep, hen, 
etc., — are good to use in this way, but cow ma- 
nure is the safest and best. Place three or four 
inches of half-rotted manure in a galvanized iron 
pail, fill w4th water, and after standing a few hours 
it will be ready for use. The pail can be refilled. 
'As long as the liquid becomes the color of weak tea 
It will be strong enough to use. Give from a gill 
to a pint at each application to a six- or eight-inch 
pot. The other manures should not be made quite 
so strong. For liquid chemicals see page 19 or mix 
up the following: 5 lbs. nitrate of soda, 3 of nitrate 
of potash and 2 of phosphate of ammonia, and use 
I oz. of the mixture dissolved in five or six gallons 
of water. 

At the beginning of the growing period and at 
frequent intervals during the early growth of plants 
they must be repotted. The operation is described 
on page 40. 

As soon as danger of late frost is over in the 
spring the plants should be got out of the house. It 











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An attractive and efficient lluvver Ijay was made here by water- 
proofing the floor, building plant shelves and isolating the 
whole when necessary with the curtains 



MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS 49 

is safest to " harden them off " first by leaving them 
a few nights with the windows wide open or in a 
sheltered place on the veranda. Those which re- 
quire partial shade may be kept on the veranda or 
under a tree. Most of them, however, will do best 
in the full sun and should, if wanted for use in 
the house a second season, be kept in their pots. 
The best way to handle them is to dig out a bed six 
or eight inches deep (the sod and earth taken out 
may be used in your dirt heap for next year) and 
fill it with sifted coal ashes. In this, " plunge," that 
is, bury the pots up to their rims. If set on the sur- 
face of the soil it will be next to impossible to keep 
them sufficiently wet unless they are protected from 
the direct rays of the sun by an overhead screening 
of lath nailed close together, or " protecting cloth '* 
waterproofed. Where many plants are grown 
for the house such a shed, open on all sides, is some- 
times made. 

Care must be taken not to let plants in " plunged " 
pots root through into the soil. This is prevented 
by lifting and partly turning the pots every week 
or so. They will not root through into the coal 
cinders as rapidly as into soil and better drainage 
is secured. Watch the soil in the pots, not that in 
which they are plunged, when deciding about water- 
ing. For most plants a thorough watering, tops 
and all, once every afternoon ordinarily will not be 
too much. 



50 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Plants such as geraniums and heliotrope, which 
are wanted for blooming in early winter, should 
be kept rather dry and all buds pinched off. Do not 
shift them to new pots until two or three weeks be- 
fore time to take them in. 



CHAPTER VIII 

FLOWERING PLANTS 

THE very important question — " What 
plants shall be grown in the house ? " — 
must be left for the individual to answer. 
In selecting a few to describe somewhat in detail 
in the first part of this chapter, I do not mean to 
imply that the others are not as beautiful, or may 
not, with proper care, be successfully grown in the 
house. However, most of those described are the 
more popular — very possibly because as a rule 
greater success is attained with them. 

The same is true of the treatment of the other 
groups — shrubs, foliage plants, palms, ferns, vines, 
cacti and bulbs, which are classed not upon a strict 
botanical basis but with reference to their general 
habits and requirements, my sole object in this book 
being to make the proper cultural directions as defi- 
nite and clear as possible. 

Begonias 

I think if I were restricted to the use of one class 
of plants for beautifying my home in winter I 
should without hesitation choose the begonias. 

51 



52 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

No other plants so combine decorative effect, beauty 
of form and flower, continuity of bloom and gen- 
eral ease of culture. 

There are three types: the flowering fibrous- 
rooted begonias, the decorative leaved begonias and 
the tuberous-rooted, with their abundant and gor- 
geous flowers and beautiful foliage. (These latter 
are described more fully in Chapter XV on 
Bulbs.) 

Begonias are rather difficult to raise from seed 
and the best way to get them is to go to some 
good florist and select a few specimens; after that 
you can easily keep supplied by cuttings (see page 
29). The large fancy-leaved begonias (Rex be- 
gonias) are increased by " leaf-cuttings." Take 
an old leaf and cut it into triangular pieces, about 
three inches each way and with a part of one of the 
thick main ribs at one corner of each piece; this is 
the corner to put into the sand. These — seven or 
eight of which can be made from one leaf — should 
be inserted about an inch into the sand of the cut- 
ting box or saucer, and treated as ordinary cuttings. 
The new growth will come up from the rib. (Il- 
lustration facing page 40). Some of the foliage be- 
gonias have long, thick stems, or " rhizomes " grow- 
ing just above the soil ; from these the leaves grow. 
Propagate by cutting the rhizome into pieces about 
two inches long and covering in the rooting medium. 

The most satisfactory way to select your be- 



FLOWERING PLANTS 53 

gonias is to see them actually growing at the flo- 
rist's. In case selection cannot be made, thus, how- 
ever, the following brief descriptions may be help- 
ful. The begonia with the most showy flowers 
is the "coral" begonia — (in catalogues B. macu- 
lata, var. Corallina). The flowers, which grow in 
large clusters, reach half an inch across. 

Begonias rubra, Alba, Vernon, nitlda and N, 
alba, Luminosa, Sandersoni and semperilorens, gi- 
gantea rosea, are all good sorts. 

For foliage. Begonia metallica, is the most popu- 
lar. The flowers while not conspicuous are very 
pretty. B. Thurstoni, albo-picta, and argenteo- 
giittata are also very attractive, the two latter hav- 
ing small silvery spots upon the leaves. 

Of the large leaved Rex begonias new varieties 
are; frequently introduced. They are seldom im- 
provements over the old favorites, Philadelphus, 
Silver Queen, Fire King, Mrs. Rivers and others. 

One of the most glorious of all flower sights is a 
plant of begonia Gloire de Lorraine in full bloom. 
It makes a graceful hanging mass of the most 
beautiful pink flowers. I cannot, however, con- 
scientiously recommend it as a house plant. The 
best way is to get a plant, say in October, which is 
just about to bloom. Even if you lose it after it 
is through blooming — they continue in flower for 
several months — it will have been well worth the 
expense. But it is not necessary to lose it. When 



54 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

through flowering give it less water and keep in a 
cool light place. During summer keep it as cool as 
possible, on the veranda, or plunged in the shade 
of a tree. About September rapid growth will be 
made and it may gradually be given full sunlight. 

Gloire Cincinnati is a splendid begonia of very 
recent introduction and it is claimed to be much 
hardier than Gloire de Lorraine, but whether it 
will prove satisfactory as a house plant I cannot say. 

There are many other beautiful kinds of begonias 
besides the few described above. If you have 
room, by all means try some of them. 

As to soil, add about one-third of thoroughly pul- 
verized leaf-mould to the potting soil described on 
page 15, if you would give them the best condi- 
tions. In watering keep them if anything a little 
on the '' dry side." They like plenty of light but 
will do best if kept out of the direct rays of the 
sun. 

^Fuchsia. 

There is perhaps no plant which more perfectly 
combines gracefulness and beauty of color than a 
well grown fuchsia in full bloom. Well-grown in 
this case does not simply mean that it should have 
been given the proper care as regards food and 
temperature. The fuchsia is naturally a somewhat 
trailing and very brittle-wooded plant. It needs 
support and the problem is to give it this support 



FLOWERING PLANTS 55 

and at the same time not destroy its natural grace- 
fulness of form, as is usually done when it is tied 
up stiffly to a wooden stake. If tied carefully to an 
inconspicuous green stake by means of green twine 
this may be accomplished. A better w^ay will be 
to use one of the stakes described on page 144. 

Fuchsias are shade plants. The full direct sun- 
light is likely to prove fatal to their existence. In 
winter they may be kept in an east or north win- 
dow, or on the inside of other plants in a south win- 
dow. If they are wanted to bloom early in the fall 
keep well pinched back and disbudded during the 
summer which is the natural blooming season for 
all the best varieties. For summer blooming, dry 
off gradually in the fall and keep during the win- 
ter — until February or March — in a frost-proof 
room or cellar. After they have been brought into 
the light, repot and water and new growth will 
start. Prune back the old branches severely, as the 
next crop of flowers will be borne on the new w^ood. 
This is also a good time to start cuttings for a new 
supply of plants. 

Old plants — tw^o or three years — will, however, 
give a far greater abundance of flowers. 

The most serious enemy of the fuchsia indoors is 
the pernicious red spider. For details of the proper 
reception to be given him see page 134. 

The varieties of the fuchsia, in both single and 
double flowers, are many. Among popular sorts 



56 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

are Elm City, Black Prince, speciosa, Phenomenal. 
Florists' catalogues list many others, new and for 
the most part well worth trying. 

Geraniums. 

The geranium has been for years, and is likely 
to remain, the most popular flowering plant of all, 
whether for use in summer flower beds or for the 
winter window garden. To some people this wide 
popularity renders it less desirable, but with those 
who grow plants for their intrinsic beauty and not 
because they may or may not be in vogue the gera- 
nium with its healthy vitality, its attractive foliage 
and its simply marvelous range of color and deli- 
cate shadings will always be a favorite. I even 
venture to predict more ; to prophesy that it is going 
to be used, as one seldom sees it now, as a cut flower 
for decorative purposes. I have grown some of the 
newer varieties with stems from twelve to eighteen 
inches long, supporting enormous trusses of dull 
red or the most delicate pink and keeping fresh in 
vases for days at a time. I find that very few peo- 
ple, even old flower lovers, have any conception of 
the improvement and variety which the last few 
years have brought, especially in the wonderful new 
creations coming from the hands of the French hy- 
bridizers. The latest news is that a German plant- 
breeder has produced the first of a new race of 
Pelargoniums (Pansy or Lady Washington gera- 



FLOWERING PLANTS 57 

niums) that continues to bloom as long as any of our 
ordinary bedding sorts. It has not yet been offered 
in this country, but doubtless soon will be, and it 
will be an acquisition indeed. 

The culture of the geranium is simple. For its 
use as a house plant there are just two things to 
keep in mind ; first give it a soil which is a little on 
the heavy side ; that is, use three parts of good heavy 
loam, one of manure and one of sand; secondly do 
not over-water. Keep it on the " dry side " — 
(see page 45). 

To have geraniums blooming in the house all 
winter prepare plants in two ways, as follows: 
First, in May or June pot up a number of old 
plants. Cut back quite severely, leaving a skeleton 
work of old wood, well branched, from which the 
new flowering wood will grow. Keep plunged and 
turned during the summer and take off every bud 
until three or four weeks before you are ready to 
take the plants inside. Secondly, in March or 
April, start some new plants from cuttings and 
grow these, with frequent shifts, until they fill six- 
or seven-inch pots, but keep them pinched back to 
induce a branching growth, and disbudded, until 
about the end of December. These will come into 
bloom after the old plants. 

The best time for propagating the general sup- 
ply of geraniums is from September 15th to the end 
of October. Cuttings should be taken from wood 



53 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

that is as firm and ripe as possible, while still yield- 
ing to the '' snapping test " (see page 30). In all 
stages of growth the geranium is remarkably free 
from any insect or disease. 

The varieties of geraniums now run into the 
hundreds — a wonderful collection. I shall name 
but a few, all of which I know from my own ex- 
perience in selling several thousand every spring, 
are sure to be well-liked and good bloomers. 

Geranium Varieties 

S. A. Nutt leads them all. It is the richest, 
darkest crimson — usually ordered as " the dark- 
est red." It is a great bloomer, but one word of 
caution where you grow your own plants: — You 
must keep it cut back and make it branch, otherwise 
it will surely grow up tall and spindling. E. H. 
Trego is the most brilliant of the reds that I 
have grown. Marquis de Castellane is the richest 
of the reds — a dull, even, glowing color with what 
artists term " warmth " and " depth.'* The trusses 
are immense and the stems long, stiff and erect. It 
is the best geranium for massing in bouquets that I 
know. 

Beaute Potevine is the richest, most glorious of 
the salmon pinks — perhaps the most popular of all 
the geraniums as a pot plant for the house. It is a 
sturdy grower and a wonderful bloomer. 

Dorothy Perkins is a strong growing bright pink. 



FLOWERING PLANTS 59 

with an almost white center. Very attractive. 

Roseleur is one of the most lovely delicate pinks. 
Mme. Recamier, perhaps the best of the double 
whites, making a very compact, sturdy plant. 

Silver-leafed Nutt, very recently introduced, is, 
I believe, destined to be one of the most popular of 
all geraniums. It has the rich flowers of S. A. Nutt 
and leaves of a beautiful dull, light green, bordered 
with silver white. I am chary of novelties, and 
got my first plants last spring with the expectation 
of being disappointed. So far it has proved a 
great acquisition. 

New-life is another new sort which has won 
great popularity, the center of the flowers being 
white in contrast to the red of the outer petals. 
This is one of a new type of geranium having two 
more or less distinct colors in each flower. An- 
other new type is the " Cactus " section, with petals 
narrower and recurved. In fact, the geranium 
seems to have by no means reached its full develop- 
ment. 

Foliage Geraniums. The foremost of these is 
Mme. Salleroi (Silver-leaf geranium). It is un- 
equaled as a border and for mingling with other 
plants in the edge of boxes and vases. Well grown 
specimens make beautiful single pot plants. Mrs. 
Pollock and Mountain of Snow are other good 
varieties. 

Sweet Scented Geranium. This type has two 



6o GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

valuable uses ; their delicious fragrance and also the 
beauty and long keeping quality of the leaves when 
used in bouquets or to furnish green with geranium 
blossoms. Rose and Lemon (or Skeleton) are the 
two old favorites of this type. The Mint geranium, 
with a broad, large leaf of a beautiful soft green, 
and thick velvety texture, should be better known. 
All three must be kept well cut back, as they like 
to grow long and scraggly. 

The ivy-leafed geraniums have not yet come into 
their own. To me they are the most beautiful of 
all. The leaves are like ivy leaves, only thicker 
and more glossy. The flowers, which are freely 
borne, contain some of the most beautiful and deli- 
cate shades and markings of any flowers, and the 
vines are exceedingly graceful in habit when given 
a place where they can spread out or hang down. 
Like the common or Zonal geranium, the ivy-leafed 
section has within the last few years been greatly 
improved. There is space here to mention but one 
variety (L'Elegantea), whose variegated white and 
green foliage, in addition to its lovely flowers, gives 
it a wonderful charm. 

The Pelargoniums (Pansy Geraniums) — This 
section contains the most wonderful flowers of all 
the geraniums. Imagine, if you can, a rather 
graceful shrub with attractive foliage, eighteen 
inches or so high and broad, covered with loose 
clusters of pansies in the most brilliant and har- 




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FLOWERING PLANTS 6i 

monious contrasts of color, and the most delicate 
blendings of rare shades, such as snow white and 
lilac. Unfortunately, these marvelous blossoms re- 
main but a few weeks at most, and then there is a 
year's care and waiting. As with the fantastic 
cacti, all their blossoming energy and beauty seems 
to be concentrated into one brief but glorious effort. 
It certainly is to be hoped that the new strain, men- 
tioned on a former page, will successfully be de- 
veloped. Pelargoniums are propagated by cuttings, 
and cared for as the ordinary geraniums, except 
that they should be kept very cold and dry during 
their winter resting spell. Cut back after bloom- 
ing. 

Heliotrope 

The heliotrope has long been the queen of 
all flowers grown for fragrance. It is grown 
readily from either seeds or cuttings; the lat- 
ter generally rooted in the spring. For bloom- 
ing in winter, start young plants in February, or 
cut back old ones after flowering, and keep growing 
but pinched back and disbudded, in partial shade 
during the summer. 

There are several varieties, from dark purple to 
very light and white. Lemoine's hybrids have the 
largest flowers, but are not so fragrant as some of 
the smaller sorts. 

By pinching off the side shoots and training to a 
single main stalk, the plants may be grown as for- 



62 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

mal standards, with the flowering branches several 
feet from the pot, hke the head of a tree. For 
certain uses they are appropriate, but I think not 
nearly as beautiful as when well trimmed to shape 
and grown in the ordinary way. 

The heliotrope objects to any sudden change, 
whether of temperature, watering or soil, and will 
readily turn brown and drop all its leaves. Giving 
it proper care and cutting back, however, will quickly 
bring it into good humor again. 

Petunia 

The petunia is one of the most easily grown 
and generous bloomers of all house plants. It 
is, however, a little coarse and some people object 
to its heavy odor. The flowers are both single and 
double, each having its advocates. Both have been 
vastly improved within the last few years. Cer- 
tain it is that some of the new ruffled giant singles 
are remarkably beautiful, even as individual flowers ; 
and the new fringed doubles, which come in agree- 
able shades of pink, variegated to pure white (in- 
stead of that harsh magenta which characterized 
the older style) produce beautiful mass effects with 
their quantities of bloom. 

They are grown either from seed or cuttings, the 
latter frequently blooming in the cutting box, if 
allowed to. In raising seedlings, be sure to save 
all the slowest growing and delicate looking plants. 



FLOWERING PLANTS 63 

as they are fairly sure to give some of the best flow- 
ers, the worthless singles growing strong and rank 
from the start. Plants growing outdoors during the 
summer may be cut back, potted up and started into 
new growth. The singles bloom more freely than 
the doubles, especially indoors. After blooming, 
cut the plants back to within a few inches of the 
root, repot or give liquid manure and a new growth 
will be sent up, and soon be in blossom again. 

Primroses 

Of the deservedly popular primrose there 
are two types, the Chinese primrose (Pri- 
mula Sinensis) and Primula obconica. Both 
are favorites, because of their simple beauty and 
the remarkable freedom and constancy with which 
they bloom. Another advantage is that they do 
not require direct sunlight. Primroses need no 
particular care. The soil may have a little extra 
leaf-mould and should slope toward the edges of 
the pot, to prevent the possibility of any water 
collecting at the crown of the plant, which must be 
left well above the soil when potting. 

The easiest way to get plants is to buy small 
ones from the florist every spring. They may be 
raised from seed successfully, however, if one wall 
take care to give them a shaded, cool location during 
the hot summer months, such as a cold frame cov- 
ered with protecting cloth, or any light material 



64 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

that will freely admit air. From seed sown in Feb- 
ruary or March they should be ready to bloom by 
the following Christmas. It does not pay to keep 
the plants over for a second season. 

There are numerous varieties. One very small 
sort, P. Forbesi — sometimes caled Baby Primrose 
— is exceedingly floriferous. Several plants of this 
sort put together in a large pan make a most beauti- 
ful sight, and will do well as a decoration for a cen- 
ter table. 

Until recently P. obconica was inferior in size 
of flower to the Chinese primrose, but the newer 
strains, under the name P. grandiflora Hmhriata, or 
Giant Fringed, are quite wonderful. Some of the 
individual flowers are over an inch and a quarter 
across, and range from pure white to deep rose. 
If you cannot obtain other plants of this type from 
your florist they will well repay the trouble of start- 
ing from seed. 

Snapdragon 

I feel somewhat doubtful about giving 
this comparatively little known flower a place 
among the especially recommended plants. Not on 
the basis of my own experience with it, but because 
in the several books in my possession which deal 
with house plants, I do not find it mentioned. 
There certainly can be no question that the long 
spikes of flowers in pure white, light and dark reds, 



FLOWERING PLANTS 65 

deep wines and clear yellows, with combinations 
of two or more of these in many cases, are among 
our most beautiful flowers. They stay in blossom 
a long time, each stalk opening out slowly from the 
bottom to the top of the spike, like a gladiolus. 
They seem, in my own experience at least, to stand 
almost any amount of abuse ; this spring several old 
plants that I had abandoned to their fate insisted on 
coming to life again and trying to vie with their 
younger progeny in flowering. 

Snapdragons are easily raised from seed, or prop- 
agated by cuttings. For winter blooming sow the 
former in March or April, grow on in a cool place 
and keep pinched back to make bushy plants. If 
you have limited room, let one stalk blossom on 
each plant, so that you can avoid selecting dupli- 
cates. Cuttings may be taken at any time when the 
weather is not too hot. Take the tops of flowering 
shoots which have not yet matured so far as to be- 
come hollow. 

The varieties have been greatly improved, that 
now sold as Giant-flowered Hybrids being the best- 
There is also a dwarf type and of still later intro- 
duction a double white. This will undoubtedly 
break into the other colors and give us a valuable 
new race. 

With the directions given for the foregoing, and 
also on pages 6 to 50, the following brief instruc- 
tions should be necessary to enable success with the 



(£ GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Other flowering plants which are worth trying in 
the house for winter blooming. 

OTHER FLOWERING PLANTS 

Ageratum — Valuable for its bright blue flowers 
and dwarf growth, going in well with other plants. 
There is also a white variety. Make cuttings in 
August, or cut back and pot up old plants. 

Alyssum — Good with other plants to produce a 
light bouquet-like effect. White. Fall and dwarf 
varieties. Seed or cuttings. 

Balsam — Beautiful colors. Take up and pot 
after blooming in garden. Only double sorts worth 
while. 

Candytuft — Colors. Good for cut flowers. 
Seed or cuttings. 

Cannas — New dwarf hybrids, named varieties 
have beautiful flowers. Give rich soil, lots of sun 
and water. Dry off after flowering. 

Carnation — This beautiful flower is not well 
adapted for house culture. It may, however, be 
grown in five-or-six-inch pots, using a heavy soil, 
keeping in a cool temperature, about forty-five de- 
grees at night, watering regularly and spraying daily 
with as much force as possible. For further in- 
formation about growing the plants, see Part II., 
page i8i. 

Carnation Marguerite — These are much better 
suited for the trials of house culture. While not 



FLOWERING PLANTS (^i 

as large, they are in other respects fully as beauti- 
ful. Take up the best sorts from the flower garden, 
cut back severely and keep shaded until new growth 
starts. 

Chrysanthemum — This is another beautiful 
flower not well suited to house culture. However, 
if you have room, — it wall take an eight-, nine- or 
even ten-inch pot for each plant — and want to go 
to the trouble, you can have it indoors. For cul- 
tural directions see Part II, page 185. 

Daisies, Double English Daisies — The bright lit- 
tle short-stemmed daisies, seen so frequently in 
spring (Bellis perennis) are not often used as a 
house plant, but make a very agreeable surprise. 
Start from seed in August; transplant to boxes of 
suitable size, and on the approach of freezing 
weather cover gradually with leaves and rough man- 
ure or litter in a sheltered, well drained place. 
Bring them in as wanted from January on. 

Daisy, Paris or Marguerite — Beautiful daisy- 
like flowers, very freely borne, in two colors, pure 
white and delicate yellow. Root cuttings in spring 
and keep pinched back for winter flowering. Grow 
in rather heavy rich soil, with plenty of water. 

Patience Plant (Impatiens) — This old-fashioned 
but cheery flowered plant resembles the flowering be- 
gonias in looks and habit. It grows very rapidly 
and is one of the most indefatigable bloomers of all 
plants. Spring cuttings grown on will make good 



68 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

flowering plant for winter. Give plenty of water. 

Lobelia — This favorite little plant bears starry 
blossoms of one of the most intense blues found any- 
where in the realm of flowers. Grow^n easily from 
fall sown seed, or cuttings. Star of Ishmael and 
Kathreen Mallard are two named varieties recently 
introduced and great improvements. 

Maker nia — (Honey-bell) — Of great value for its 
fragrance. Grow on from summer cuttings. 

Mignonette — Another flower owing its popular- 
ity to its fragrance. Start winter plants by sowing 
in two-inch pots in July or August, several seeds to 
a pot. As soon as well started, thin to the best 
plant. Grow on, keeping cool and well pinched 
back. Give support. There are several newer 
named varieties that are great improvements over 
the old type, especially in size of spike. Colossal, 
Allan's Defiance, Machet, are all fine sorts. 

Pansy — If wanted for winter blooming, take cut- 
tings or start from seed, as described for Daisy 
(Bellis perennis). The seed bed must be kept cool 
and shaded. 

Salvia — One of the most brilliant of all flowering 
plants. For winter make cuttings in August, or 
take off suckers with roots at base of plant. They 
like heat. Keep thoroughly sprayed to ward off 
red spider. 

Piqueria or Stevia serrata — Another fragrant 
flower. Root cuttings in January or February and 



FLOWERING PLANTS 69 

grow on for blooming from November to February. 

Stocks — What I said abut snapdragons on page 
64 might well be repeated here. Start from seed 
in August or September. They are very easily 
grown. In addition to their beauty — they resem- 
ble a spray of small roses — is their entrancing 
fragrance. Only the double sorts are good. There 
are many fine new sorts. Abundance, a beautiful 
delicate pink, will be sure to arouse your enthusiasm. 

Verbena — If any of these old brilliant favorites 
are wanted, start from cuttings, being sure to use 
strong new growth which may be induced by spad- 
ing up and enriching the soil in August, and cutting 
back the plants. 

Verbena, Lemon — See page yy. 

Violets — See Part II (page 183). 

There is one thing which the beginner cannot be 
told too often, and which I repeat here, as it has 
much to do with the success of many of the above 
plants. Do not fail to pinch back seedlings and cut- 
tings during their early stages of growth, to induce 
the formation of stocky, well-branched plants. 
This must be the foundation of the winter's returns. 



CHAPTER IX 

SHRUBS 

THE shrubs of dwarf habit available for 
growing inside in winter are numerous and 
valuable. They include a number of the 
most attractive plants one may have, and as a rule 
will stand more hardships in the way of poor light, 
low temperature and irregular attention than any 
of the other flowering plants. 

They differ from the other flowering plants in 
several ways. They are harder wooded; the rest- 
ing spell is more marked and they make growth and 
store up energy for flowering ahead of the blossom- 
ing season. 

Their differences in habit of growth naturally in- 
volve differences in treatment. In the first place, 
they are harder to propagate; in many cases it is 
better for the amateur to get plants from the flo- 
rist than to try to raise them. This is not such a 
disadvantage as might at first appear, because most 
of them can be kept for several years, only im- 
proving with age. 

The " snapping " test (page 30) will not apply 
to many of the shrubs when taking cuttings. In 

70 



SHRUBS 71 

this case they are made from the new growth after 
it becomes firm and well ripened. It should be 
fresh and plump, and rooting will be made more 
certain by bottom heat. Often cuttings of hard- 
wooded plants, such as oleander, are rooted in plain 
water, in wide-mouthed bottles hung in a warm 
place in the sun, the water being frequently renewed 
or kept fresh with a lump or so of charcoal. 

Many of the shrubs are beautiful for summer 
blooming on the veranda or in large pots or tubs. 
These may be kept over winter safely by drying off 
and keeping in a frost-proof cellar where they will 
get little light. In this way they will come out 
again in the spring, just as hardy shrubs do out-of- 
doors. The earth should not be allowed to get dust 
dry, but should not be more than slightly moist; 
very little, and often no, water is required, especially 
if mulching of some sort is put over the earth in 
pots or boxes ; but it should not be any material that 
would harbor rats or mice. The leaves will fall 
off, but this is not a danger signal, such plants being 
deciduous in their natural climates. It will be best 
to keep such plants as are to be stored in the cellar, 
from the time there is danger of frost until about 
November first, in an outbuilding or shed, where 
they will not freeze. This makes the change more 
gradual and natural. The temperature of the cel- 
lar should be as near thirty- four to thirty-eight de- 
grees as possible. About March first will be time 



72 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

to start giving most plants so treated heat, light 
and water again, the latter gradually. 

The fact that growth is made in advance of the 
flowering period means that the summer care and 
feeding of such plants is very important. Plenty 
of water must be given, and frequent applications 
of liquid manure or fertilizers, or top dressing. 
Flowering shrubs that bloom on last season's wood, 
like hydrangeas, should be pruned just after bloom- 
ing. 

Abiitilon — The Flowering Maple (Abutilon) 
is an old favorite, but well worthy of continued 
popularity. It is practically ever-blooming, which 
at once marks it as highly desirable. The pendu- 
lous flowers are very pretty, coming in shades of 
pink, white, yellow and dark red. The foliage is 
also beautiful, especially that of the variegated vari- 
eties, than which very few plants are more worthy 
of a place in the window gardener's collection. 

New plants, which will grow and bloom very 
rapidly, are propagated by cuttings rooted in the 
fall or spring. Give the plants when indoors plenty 
of light. Old plants, for which there is not room 
in the window garden, may be wintered almost dry 
in a cool place and allowing the leaves to fall off. 

The varieties are numerous. Some of the best 
are Santana, deep red ; Boule de Neige, pure white ; 
Gold Bell, yellow; Darzvini tesselatum; Souvenir 
de Bonn and Savitzii (the latter the most popular of 




Grcz'illca robtista, the Silk Oak, is easily grown and an ex- 
ceedingly graceful shrub for growing indoors 




Otaheite orange. Their rest period should be given during 
November, December and January 



SHRUBS 73 

all variegated) ; Eclipse and vexillarium, trailing in 
habit. 

Acalypha — Valuable for its variegated foliage. 
For use in the house root cuttings in early fall. 
The old roots, after cutting back, may be kept on 
the dry side to furnish cuttings in spring for the 
garden plants. 

Aralia — Aralia (Fatsia Japonica) and 'A. J. vari- 
egata, especially the last, are two of the most dec- 
orative plants one may have. They are not widely 
known — very likely because they are difficult to 
propagate. Easily kept. Get from florist. 

Ardisia — (Ardisia crenulata) is the best red ber- 
ried plant for the house. It is a dwarf, with very 
beautiful dark green foliage. While kept healthy 
it will be laden constantly with its attractive clusters 
of berries, one crop lasting over the next. Seed- 
lings make the best plants, and are readily grown. 
Sow in January to April, and plants will flower 
within a year and thereafter be perpetually deco- 
rated. Old plants can be topped (see page 86) and 
make fine specimens. By all means give the ardisia 
a place in your collection. 

Aucuba — The Gold Dust Plant : one of the beauti- 
ful shrubs and especially valuable for decoration 
because doing well in such shaded positions as inner 
rooms, or by doorways. Strong tip cuttings — six 
to ten inches — can be rooted readily in the fall. 
Give a soil on the heavy side. 



74 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Azalea — The azalea is the most beautiful 
flowering shrub — if not the most beautiful of all 
winter flowering plants. With proper treatment an 
azalea should do service for several years, becoming 
more splendid each season. 

You will probably get your plant when it is in 
full bloom. At this time, and during the whole 
growing season, it requires abundant water. The 
best way to make sure of giving it a thorough one, 
is to stand it for half an hour in a pail of water. 
Keep it in a rather cool place, say forty-five at 
night, and the flowering season, which should last 
several weeks, will be prolonged. 

With the azaleas you must do the work for next 
year's success as soon as the flowering season is 
over. After repotting, keep in a temperature of 
fifty to fifty-five degrees at night. 

There are three types of azalea suitable for win- 
ter blooming, the Indian, Ghent and Mollis, of each 
of which there are several kinds. The Indian type 
has the advantage of not blooming without its 
leaves, as the others do. The best way to select the 
varieties wanted is to purchase when in bloom. It 
will not pay the amateur to attempt propagation. 

Bouvardia — Pink, white or red flowers, sweet 
scented. Propagated by root cuttings, but as the 
plants are good for a number of years, the best 
way is to get them from the florist. Old plants may 
be divided, small enough to go into number three 



SHRUBS 75 

pots. Give either cuttings or divisions about sixty 
degrees at night after potting, which should be in 
spring, until put outdoors. Keep pinched to 
shape. Then bloom from late fall to February. 

Brozvallia — A very attractive flowering shrub, 
easily grown in a cool room, with plenty of sun- 
light. Sow seeds in 4-inch pots in August, thinning 
to three or four. Repot to 6 inches. Cuttings 
make good plants. Best grown as standards. 

B. data is especially valuable because of its deep 
blue flowers. B. Jamesonii is orange. Roezlii and 
Grandiflora, blue or white. 

Daphne — D. odora is easily grown and very fra- 
grant. As ornamental as orange or lemon and very 
free flowering. Give almost no water in winter, 
or store in cellar. Plants good for many years. 

Genista — A beautiful evergreen shrub, bearing 
freely in spring clusters of pea-shaped yellow 
flowers, richly fragrant. Cut back after flowering, 
and in fall put in a cold room, forty degrees, or a 
frame, giving several weeks rest. Cuttings may 
be rooted readily in spring, when pruning the 
plants. 

Grevillea robitsta — The Silk Oak is grown with 
the greatest ease and makes an extremely graceful, 
beautiful plant, either by itself or as a center for 
fern dishes, etc. Sow in March and grow on with 
frequent shifts. 

Hibiscus — One of the most brilliant flowering 



^(i GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

shrubs outside of the azaleas, with single and double 
flowers. Give a warm, sunny spot. Large plants 
can be stored in the cellar. Cuttings in spring or 
summer will furnish new plants. 

Hydrangea — This is another popular flowering 
shrub, often had in bloom inside in the spring, but 
personally I do not consider it suited for such use. 
The flowers are rather coarse to bear close inspec- 
tion, such as a house plant must be subject to: they 
are far more effective in masses out-of-doors or 
used as semi- formal decorations about paths or 
stoops, for which purpose they are unsurpassed. 

If you care to have them bloom indoors, get small 
plants from the florist, or start cuttings of new 
growth in spring, taking shoots which do not have 
buds. After flowering, cut back each branch and 
grow on, in a cool airy place with slight protection 
from noonday sun. Take into the house before 
frost, and gradually dry off for a rest of six weeks 
or more in a cold room. Then start into growth. 

Plants for flowering early in the spring outdoors 
should be treated in the same way during summer, 
and wintered in the cellar, as directed above. Take 
up to the light any time after first of March in the 
spring, but be careful to harden off before setting 
outside. 

The varieties of the hydrangea are several, some 
being entirely hardy farther north than New York, 
but the sorts best for house and tub culture are not. 



SHRUBS 77 

Most of them will come through some winters, but 
it doesn't pay to take the chance. 

H. Hortensia Japonica is the blue flowering vari- 
ety; the color will depend much, however, upon the 
soil. To make sure of the color, dissolve one pound 
of alum in two quarts of ammonia, dilute with 
twenty gallons water and use as a liquid fertilizer. 
Thomas Hogg is a beautiful pure white, quite hardy. 
H. h. Otaksa, pink, is one of the most popular. 

Lanfana — Easily grown flowering shrub, trailing 
in habit, with small flower clusters of white, pink, 
red, yellow or orange. New dwarf varieties best 
for pot culture. Cuttings root easily. I have never 
cared for this plant, and its odor is not pleasant to 
most people. 

Lemon — The best lemon for house culture is the 
Ponderosa, or American Wonder, of comparatively 
recent introduction. Most florists now have it. 
Easily grown and a very attractive plant. The 
fruit is good to use. 

Lemon Verbena '(Aloysia citriodora) — Many 
people consider this the most delightfully fragrant 
plant grown. Certainly no window garden should 
be without it. Early in September cut back old 
plants, if in the garden, and pot up. New growth 
will quickly be made. Plants kept in pots should 
be rested in early winter by keeping dry and cool. 
Spring cuttings root easily. 

Oleander — A beautiful old-time favorite, with 



78 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

fragrant blossoms of red, pink, yellow or white. 
Give a very rich soil and plenty of water when 
growing. Rest after flowering. Cuttings are 
rather hard, but will root with care. 

Orange — There are several sorts suited to house 
culture, and they should be more frequently tried, 
as a well grown plant will have flowers, green fruit 
and attractive golden oranges almost all the time — 
to say nothing of its foliage beauty and delightful 
fragrance. Their rest period should be given dur- 
ing November, December and January. 

Otaheite Orange is the one most commonly 
grown for house culture, and while the fruit is of 
no use for eating, it has the more valuable advan- 
tage of remaining on the tree (which is eighteen to 
twenty-four inches high) for months. Satsuma is 
another good sort. Kumquat (Citrus Japonica) is 
also very attractive. 

Reinwardtia (^known usually as Linum trigynum) 
— Another attractive flowering shrub, with light or 
bright yellow flowers. Cuttings will root with bot- 
tom heat in April. L. tetragymtm is a companion 
variety. 

Roses — Those who will take the proper pains can 
grow roses successfully in the house; but as a gen- 
eral rule satisfactory results are not obtained. The 
first essential to success is the use of the right 
varieties and those only. The second is a moist 
atmosphere ; the third is cleanliness, — insect enemies 



SHRUBS 79 

must be kept off. For soils, growing in summer, 
etc., see Part II, page i88. 

The best varieties for house culture are the Crim- 
son Baby Rambler (Mme. Norbert Levavasseur), 
Pink Baby Rambler (Anchen Muller), Crimson 
Rambler, Clothilde Soupert, Agrippina, Hermosa, 
Safrano, Maman Cochet, White Maman Cochet 
and La France. 

If the plants are set in a window-box (see page 9) 
about one foot apart, they will be more easily cared 
for than in pots. They may be treated in two ways, 
(i) After blooming, cut away most of the old 
growth and enforce rest during the summer. Start 
again in October and grow on in the house. (2) 
Grow on through the summer and dry off in the 
fall as the leaves drop. Store in a cold place (a 
little freezing wnll not hurt) until about January 
first. Then prune back severely — about half — 
and bring into warmth and water. A combination 
of the two methods will give a long flowering sea- 
son. 

Swainsona — A shrub of vine-like habit, bearing 
flowers, white and light pink, which greatly resem- 
ble sweet peas. The foliage is unusual and very 
pretty. It should be trained up to stakes or other 
supports and cut back quite severely after flowering. 

Sweet Olive (Olea fragrans) — This is still an- 
other fragrant flowering shrub and one of the very 
easiest to grow. 



8o GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

The house shrubs, having harder stems and 
tougher leaves than other classes of plants, will stand 
many hardships that to the latter v^ould prove fatal. 
They are, however, particularly susceptible to at- 
tacks of red spider and scale. Keep your shrubs 
clean. If you do not, in spite of their seeming 
immunity to harm, you will have no success with 
them. Syringing, showering, washing, spraying 
with insecticides, even giving a next-to-freezing rest, 
— all the remedies mentioned in Chapter XVII on 
Insects and Diseases — may at times have to be re- 
sorted to. But, at whatever trouble, if you want 
them at all, keep your shrubs clean. 





Baby ra 



- , Tit'*"- * |L^ 




aby rambler rose. Few varieties of rose will stand the dry air and 
dust that oppress most house plants 




Araucoria cxccha. 



Give little water in winter and a cool, 
even temperature 



CHAPTER X 

FOLIAGE PLANTS 

THE foliage plants depend very largely for 
their beauty upon making a rapid, un- 
checked growth and being given plenty of 
sunlight. In many of those having multi-colored 
and variegated leaves, the markings under unfav- 
orable conditions of growth become inconspicuous 
and the value of the plant is entirely lost. There- 
fore, where the proper conditions cannot be given, 
it will be far wiser to devote your space to plants 
more suited to house culture. 

Aspidistra, araucaria, Pandanus and the rubber 
plant are exceptions; two of them being remark- 
able for their hardihood under neglect and igno- 
rnce. While many of the foliage plants will 
live under almost any conditions, it must be remem- 
bered, however, that the better care they receive the 
more beautiful they will be. 

Achyranthes — Achyranthes are still popular as 
bedding plants, as they furnish good coloring. 
They may be used as house plants also, but in my 
opinion are a little coarse. Take cuttings in Aug- 
ust for new plants and keep on the warm side and 

rather dry in winter. 

8i 



82 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Alternanthera — These little plants are unique 
and brilliant, and a few will be worth having in 
any collection. They make dense, shrubby minia- 
ture bushes a few inches high, very attractively col- 
ored. Take cuttings in August; give rich soil, on 
the sandy side, plenty of light and heat. 

A. versicolor has leaves bearing a happy contrast 
of pink, crimson and bronzy-green. Tricolor is 
dark green, rose and orange. There are numerous 
other attractive varieties. 

Anthericiim (A. variegattmi) — The foliage is 
shaped like a broad blade of grass and very prettily 
bordered with white. Of the easiest culture, doing 
well in the shade. Propagated by division. A. 
medio-picta is another variety, often considered 
more attractive than the above. 

Araucaria — The several araucarias should be 
much more widely known than they are. Their 
beauty has made them popular as Christmas gifts, 
but most of the fine specimens which leave the flor- 
ists during the holiday season find their end, after a 
few weeks in a gas-tainted, superheated atmosphere, 
with probably several times the amount of water 
required given at the roots, in the ash barrel. They 
are, when one knows something of their habits of 
growth, very easily cared for. Little water in win- 
ter, and a cool even temperature, are its simple re- 
quirements. 

The araucaria is, I think, the most beautiful of 



FOLIAGE PLANTS 83 

all formal decorative plants. Its dignity, simplicity 
and beautiful plumelike foliage place it in a class of 
its own. The branches leave the main stem at reg- 
ular intervals, in whorls of five, and the foliage is a 
clean soft green, lighter at the tips. Propagated by 
cuttings from leading shoots, not side shoots. 

The two varieties ordinarily used are A. excclsa 
glanca and A. e. robusta. Some time ago I saw 
a specimen of a new variety, not yet put on the 
market, and the name of which I have forgotten. 
(I think it was stellata) The outer half of each 
branch was almost white, giving the whole plant a 
wonderful star-like effect. 

Aspidistra — The aspidistra is the toughest 
of all foliage plants — if not of all house plants. It 
has proved hardy out-of-doors as far north as 
Philadelphia. The long flat leaves grow to a height 
of eighteen to twenty-four inches, springing directly 
from the ground. Its chief requirement is plenty of 
^vater during the growing season. New plants are 
readily obtained by dividing the old roots in Feb- 
ruary or August. 

There are several varieties and those familiar only 
with the common green sort (A. elatior) will be 
surprised and pleased with the striking effective- 
ness of the variegated, (A. e, varigata) and with 
the spotted leaved A. punctata. 

Caladiiim — This is another popular plant for 
which I have never cared greatly myself. It seems 



84 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

to have no personality. Well grown plants, how- 
ever, give most gorgeous color effects. Buy bulbs 
of the fancy-leaved section, and start in February or 
March, giving very little water at first. Take in 
before the first sign of frosts. When growth stops, 
dry off gradually and store in warm cellar ; or better, 
take out of pots and pack in sand. Do not let them 
dry out enough to shrivel. 

Coleits — The best of all the gay colored foliage 
plants, but tender. To keep looking well in winter 
they must have plenty of warmth and sunlight. 
Root cuttings in August. They grow on very rap- 
idly. Make selections from the garden or a florist's, 
as they come in a great variety of colors and mark- 
ings. 

DraccBna — The best of all plants, outside the 
palms, for centers of vases, boxes and large pots. 
Small plants make very beautiful centers for fern 
dishes. The colored section need to be kept on the 
warm side. Give plenty of water in summer, but 
none on the leaves in winter, as it is apt to lodge in 
the leaf axils and cause trouble. 

Draccena (Cordyline) — Indivisa, with long, nar- 
row, recurved green leaves, is the one mostly used. 
The various colored sorts are described in most 
catalogues. 

Leopard Plant — Farfugium grande, better known 
as Leopard Plant, has handsome dark green leaves 
marked with yellow. It is of the easiest culture, 



FOLIAGE PLANTS 85 

standing zero weather. Old plants may be divided 
in spring and rooted in sand. There is a newer 
variety with white spots, very beautiful. The far- 
fugium is now more commonly listed as Senecio 
Kaempferi. 

Pandamis — The Screw Pine is another fav- 
orite decorative plant, easily grown. The leaves 
are two or three feet long and come out spirally, as 
the name indicates. As they get older they curve 
down gracefully, giving a very pleasing effect. 

The soil for pandanuses should contain a gener- 
ous amount of sand. Give plenty of water in sum- 
mer, little in winter, and be sure that none of it 
lodges in the axils of the leaves, as rot is very easily 
induced. 

New plants are produced from suckers at the 
base of the old ones. 

Pandamis titilis is the variety most commonly 
seen. P. Veitchii, dark green bordered with broad 
stripes of pure white, is much more decorative, a 
really beautiful plant. P. Sanderi is another good 
sort, with golden yellow coloring, that should be 
given a trial. 

Pepper. — Some of the peppers make very attrac- 
tive pot plants on account of their bright fruit, which 
is very pretty in all stages of growth from the new 
green pods, through yellow to bright red. Buy new 
plants or start from seed in spring. They are 
easily grown if kept on the warm side. Celestial 



86 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

and Kaleidoscope are the two kinds best suited for 
bouse culture. 

The Rubber (Ficus.) This is the most popular 
of all formal decorative plants. At least part of 
the secret of its success undoubtedly lies in the 
fact that — almost literally — you cannot kill it! 
But that is no excuse for abusing it either, as there 
is all the difference in the world between a well 
cared for symmetrical plant and one of the semi- 
denuded, lop-sided, spotted leaved plants one so 
frequently sees, and than which, as far as ornamenta- 
tion is concerned, an empty pot would be far more 
decorative. 

The rubber requires — and deserves — a good 
rich soil, and in the spring, summer and fall, all 
the water that the soil will keep absorbed. Give 
less in winter, as an excess at this time causes the 
leaves to turn yellow and droop. 

As the rubber is more difficult to propagate than 
most house plants, and specimens will not get too 
large for several years, it will be best to get plants 
from the florist. It frequently happens, however, 
that an old plant which has been grown up to a 
single stem, becomes unwieldy, and bare at the 
bottom. In such cases the upper part may be re- 
moved by " topping " and the main trunk cut back to 
within six to eighteen inches of the pot or tub, 
and water withheld partly until new growth starts. 
The old stem may thus be transformed into a low, 



FOLIAGE PLANTS 87 

bush plant and frequently they make very hand- 
some specimens. The topping is performed by mak- 
ing a deep upward slanting cut, with a sharp knife, 
at the point you want in the pot for your new plant. 
In the cut stuff a little sphagnum moss ; remove this 
after a few days and wash the cut out with warm 
w^ater, removing the congealed sap. Insert fresh 
moss and with strips of soft cloth tie a good hand- 
ful over the wound. Keep this moist constantly 
until the roots show through the moss, which may 
be several weeks. Then pot in moist earth, not 
wet, and syringe daily, but do not w^ater the pots 
for two or three days. Sometimes pots cut in 
halves and the bottoms partly removed are used to 
hold the moss in place. August is a good time to 
propagate. 

Ficits elastic a is the common rubber plant. The 
" fiddle-leaved " rubber plant (F. pandurata) is an- 
other variety, now largely grown. It differs from 
the former in having very broad, blunt leaves, 
shaped like the head of a fiddle, which are marked 
by the whitish veins. Two other beautiful plants 
are F. Cooperia, having large leaves with red mid- 
ribs, and F, Parcelli, with leaves marbled with 
white. They should be given a higher temperature 
than F. elastica. 

Saxifraga: S. sarmentosa tricolor is the commonly 
known strawberry geranium, or beefsteak plant. It 
has a quite unique habit of growth and is best dis- 



88 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

played where its numerous runners have a chance to 
hang down, as from a basket or hanging pot. The 
runners are easily rooted in soil. There are numer- 
ous varieties, with flowers of red, white and pink. 

Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) — This is a 
pretty little green-leaved plant, the never-failing in- 
terest in which lies not in its beauty, however, but 
in the fact that it shrinks and folds up when 
touched, as though it belonged to the animal king- 
dom. It is easily grown from seed. 

Tradescantia — This is otherwise known as spider- 
wort, Wandering Jew, Creeping Charles and under 
other names. It is a very pretty running or 
trailing plant, of the easiest culture, its chief require- 
ment being plenty of water. Cuttings root easily at 
any time. There are several varieties, among them 
being discolor, a variegated leaf, and Zehrina multi- 
color, the leaves of which give almost a rainbow 
effect in their wonderful diversity and blending. 
For those familiar only with the old green variety it 
will prove a great surprise. 

Zebra Plant (Maranta zehrina) — This is another 
easily grown decorative plant with tropical looking, 
large leaves. While usually listed as Maranta ze- 
hrina, it is really a calathea and the plants of this 
genus show a variation in their markings unsur- 
passed by any. Zebrina and most of the varieties, 
of which there are many, should be grown in the 
shade, with plenty of water and a minimum temper- 




3 
O 



c^' r 





The rubber plant (Ficus 
of all formal 



clastica), perhaps the most popular 
decorative house plants 



FOLIAGE PLANTS 89 

ature of sixty degrees all the year. C. piilchella 
and C. intermedia resembles C. zehrina and can be 
grown in a cooler temperature. Do not allow the 
plants to flower. Increase by division. 



CHAPTER XI 

VINES 

A NUMBER of the vines make very excellent 
house plants, though one seldom sees them. 
This seems rather strange when one takes 
into consideration the facts that they are easily 
grown and can be used for decorative effects im- 
possible with any other plants. 

If there is one particular caution to be given 
in regard to caring for plants in the house, it is to 
keep the foliage clean. Naturally a vine that runs 
up the window trim, and maybe halfway across the 
wall to a picture frame, cannot well be sprinkled or 
syringed; but the leaves can be occasionally wiped 
off with a moist, soft cloth. Keep the pores open; 
they have to breathe. 

Cissus discolor — This altogether too little known 
vine has the most beautiful foliage of any. The 
leaves are a velvety green veined with silver, the 
under surfaces being reddish and the stems red. It 
is a rapid grower and readily managed if kept on 
the warm side. New plants may be had from cut- 
tings at almost any season. C. antarctica is better 
known and easily grown. 

Clematis — This popular outdoor vine is some- 
go 



VINES 91 

times successfully used as a house plant, and has 
the advantage of doing well in a low temperature. 
Cuttings rooted in June and grown on will make 
good plants, but the best way will be to get at the 
florist's two or three plants of the splendid new 
varieties now to be had. 

Cobcca scandens — The coboea is sometimes called 
the cup-and-saucer flower. It is very energetic, 
growing under good conditions to a length of twenty 
to thirty feet. The flowers, which are frequently 
two inches across, are purplish in color and very 
pretty. They are borne quite freely. 

The coboea is easily managed if kept properly 
trained. As the plant in proportion to the pot room 
is very large, liquid manures or fertilizers are de- 
sirable. Either seeds or cuttings will furnish new 
plants. The former should be placed edge down, 
one in a two-inch pot and pressed in level with the 
surface. They will soon need repotting, and must 
be shifted frequently until they are put in six- or 
eight-inch pots. 

Coboea scandens variegata is a very handsome 
form and should without fail be tried. 

Hoya carnosa — This is commonly known as the 
wax plant on account of its thick leaves and wax- 
like flowers, which are a delicate pink and borne in 
large pendulous umbels. It is easily cared for ; give 
full sun in summer and keep moderately dry in 
winter. Leave the old flower stalks on the plant. 



92 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Cuttings may be rooted in early spring in pots, 
plunged in bottom heat. 

The Ivys — The ivys are the most graceful of all 
the vines, and with them the most artistic effects in 
decoration may be produced. I have always won- 
dered why they are not more frequently used, for 
they are in many respects ideal as house plants ; they 
produce more growth to a given size pot than any 
other plants, they thrive in the shade, they withstand 
the uncongenial conditions usually found in the 
house, and are among the hardiest of plants suitable 
for house culture. And yet how many women will 
fret and fume over a Lorraine begonia or some other 
refractory plant, not adapted at all to growing in- 
doors, when half the amount of care spent on a few 
ivys would grace their windows with frames of 
living green, giving a setting to all their other 
plants which would enhance their beauty a hundred 
percent. 

The English ivy (Hcdera helix) is the best for 
house culture. A form with small leaves, H. Don- 
erailensis, is better for many purposes. And then 
there is a variegated form, which is very beautiful. 
Large cuttings, rooted in the fall, will make good 
plants. Hedera helix arhorescens is known as the 
Irish ivy and is a very rapid grower. 

The German ivy (Senecio seandens) has leaves 
the shape of the English ivy, and is a wonderfully 
rapid grower and a great climber. It lacks, how- 



VINES 93 

ever, the substance and coloring of the real ivy. 
It is, nevertheless, valuable for temporary uses, and 
a plant or two should always be kept. Cuttings 
root freely and grow at any time. 

Manettia — This is a cheery, free flowering little 
vine, especially good for covering a small trellis in a 
pot. The brilliant little flowers, white, blue or red 
and yellow, are very welcome winter visitors. Cut- 
tings root easily in summer and the plants arc very 
easily cared for, being particularly free from insect 
pests. Give partial shade in summer. 

Mimosa moschahts — This is the common 
Musk Plant which, according to one's taste, is pleas- 
ant — or the opposite. It is of creeping habit and 
has very pretty foliage. 

There are a number of varieties. That described 
above is covered with small yellow flowers. M. m. 
Harrisonii has larger flowers. M. cardinalis, red 
flowers and is dwarf in habit. M. ghitinosns is 
erect in habit, with salmon colored flowers, very 
pretty. 

Moneywort (Lysimachia Nummularia) — This 
is a favorite basket plant, as it is a rapid grower and 
not particular about its surroundings, so long as 
it has enough water. While the flowers are pretty, 
being a cheery yellow, the plant is grown for its 
foliage. New plants may be had by dividing old 
clumps. 

Morning-Glory — This beautiful flower is seldom 



94 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

seen in the house, but will do well there if plenty of 
light can be given. Neither vines nor flowers grow 
as large as they do out-of-doors, but they make very 
pretty plants. 

Nasturtium — Another common summer flower 
that makes a very pretty plant in the house. Start 
seeds in August and shift on to five-or-six-inch pots. 
There is also a dwarf form and other sorts with 
variegated ivy leaves that make splendid pot plants. 
Of the tall sorts some of the new named varieties, 
like Sunlight and Moonlight, give beautiful and very 
harmonious effects. They will be a very pleasant 
surprise to those familiar only with the old bright 
mixed colors. 

Othonna crassifolia — This pretty little yellow 
flowered trailing plant, sometimes known as " little 
Pickles " is quite a favorite for boxes, or as a hang- 
ing or bracket plant. It should be given the full 
sun but little water in winter. When too long, it 
it may be cut back freely. Root cuttings, or the 
small tufts along the trailing stems, in spring. 

Smilax — In some ways this is the most airily 
beautiful and graceful of all the decorative vines. 
And it is valuable not only for its own beauty, but 
for its usefulness in setting off the beauty of other 
flowers. It is very easily grown if kept on the 
warm side, and given plenty of root room. Care 
should be taken to provide green colored strings for 
the vines to climb up, as they make a very rapid 



VINES 95 

growth when once started. The best way to pro- 
vide plants is to get a few from the florist late in 
the spring, or start from seed in February. New 
plants do better than those kept two seasons. 

Sweet Peas — Of late years a great deal has been 
done with sweet peas in winter, and where one can 
give them plenty of light, they will do well inside. 
Plenty of air and a temperature a little 
on the cool side, with rich soil, wall suit them. 
Start seed in very early fall, or in winter, accord- 
ing as you want bloom early or late. There are 
now a number of varieties grown especially for 
winter work such as Christmas Pink, Christmas 
White, etc. Five or six varieties will give a very 
satisfactory collection. The fragrant, beautiful 
blossoms are always welcome, but doubly so in win- 
ter. Do not let the flowers fade on the vines, as it 
increases the number of flowers to have them taken 
off. 

Thunbergia — The Thunbergia, sometimes called 
the " butterfly plant," is the best all-round flowering 
vine for the house. The flowers are freely pro- 
duced, average an inch to an inch-and-a-half across, 
and cover a wide range of colors, including white, 
blue, purple, yellow and shades and combinations 
of these. Its requirements are not special: keep 
growing on during summer into a somewhat bushy 
form, as the vines will grow rapidly when allowed 
to run in the house. It can be grown from seed 



96 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

but cuttings make the best plants. Root early in 
spring, and by having a succession of rooted cuttings 
blossoms may be had all winter. 

Thunbergia laurifolia has flowers of white and 
blue; T. fragrans, pure white; and T. Mysorensis, 
purple and yellow. 




One too seldom sees miics Ubcd indoors, although they are 
easily grown and can be made most decorative 




The Crested Scott Fern {Ncphrolepis cxaltata, var. Scholzeli) 
is one of the most beautiful developments from the Boston 

Fern 



CHAPTER XII 

FERNS 

FERNS, although there are not many varie- 
ties of them available for culture indoors, 
are probably more universally used as house 
plants than any other class of plants. Their culture 
is not difficult, although it differs somewhat from 
that given most of the plants described in the pre- 
ceding pages. 

In the first place, ferns want a porous soil, say 
two parts screened leaf -mould, one sand and one 
old manure or rich loam, the latter being preferable. 
In the second place, they should be given a 
warmer temperature, a minimum of fifty-five de- 
grees at night being very desirable, although not ab- 
solutely essential. 

The third requisite in success with ferns is a moist 
atmosphere, as well as plenty of water at the roots. 
If the pots are carefully drained (facing page 41) as 
they should be, and the soil properly porous, it will 
be almost impossible to over-water at the roots. 
Great care should be taken, however, not to wet the 
foliage, particularly where the sun can shine on the 
leaves. When the fronds must be wet, to keep them 
clean, try to do it on a warm day, that they may 

97 



98 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

dry off quickly near an open north or east window. 
They should always be given as much light as pos- 
sible, without direct sunlight, and as much air as 
possible while maintaining the proper temperature. 

Many of the ferns can be increased either by run- 
ners or division, and these are easily propagated at 
home. Those which are grown from spores (the 
fern's seeds) it will be better to get from the flo- 
rist's. 

Most of the ferns belong to one of three groups, 
the sword ferns (Nephrolepis), the maidenhairs 
(Adiantum) or the spider ferns (Pteris). The dis- 
tinguishing feature of the sword ferns is their long 
pointed fronds; the maidenhairs command atten- 
tion by their beautiful feathery foliage, in some 
varieties as delicate as the filmiest lace; and the 
spider ferns, seen usually in mixed varieties in 
dishes or fern pans, are attractive for their shades 
of green, gray, white and silver, and compact 
growth. 

THE SWORD FERNS 

The old widely popular sword fern was Nephro- 
lepis exaltata, but the original form has been almost 
entirely replaced by new varieties developed from it, 
the most widely known of which is the Boston fern 
{N, ex. var. Bostoniensis). The wide popularity 
of this fern is due to both its beauty and its hard- 
iness, as it will stand more ill usage than any other 



FERNS 99 

house fern. It grows rapidly and makes a hand- 
some plant at all stages of development. 

THE SCOTT FERN 

A well grown large Boston fern requires a good 
deal of room, and the long fronds — three feet or 
more in length — are apt to get damaged at the 
ends. For these reasons the Scottii fern, a develop- 
ment of the Boston, is for some purposes a better 
plant. Its fronds are like those of the latter, but 
shorter and proportionately narrower, and the habit 
of the plant is much more dense and compact. It 
makes a very satisfactory plant. 

THE PLUMED TYPE 

Another fern developed from the Boston is 
Whitmani, in which the fronds are not so long but 
the foliage is so finely divided that it gives a decided 
plumey effect. The Whitmani is perhaps the best 
of this type for house culture as the others, under 
adverse conditions, are likely to revert to the Bos- 
ton type of frond. Piersoni and Elegantissima are 
exceptionally beautiful, but must be given careful 
attention. Scholzeli, sometimes called the Crested 
Scott fern, is very beautiful and well w^orth trying. 

THE MAIDENHAIRS 

Of the beautiful, but delicate, adiantums perhaps 
the one most frequently seen in the florist's window 
is A. Farleyense, with its drooping, lace-like, light 
green leaves. It is not, however, suited for house 



100 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

culture and while it can be made to succeed, do not 
waste time in trying it until you have mastered the 
growing of the hardier sorts. 

However, just because Farley ense is so delicate, 
do not feel that you cannot have any maidenhair 
fern. Croweanum is another beautiful adiantum, 
and as its fronds are much firmer than those of most 
of this class, it withstands the trying conditions of 
house culture very satisfactorily. Another maiden- 
hair, often called the hardy Farleyense, is Adiantum 
c. V. imbricatum. As its name suggests, it looks 
very much like the Farley fern, but it is suitable for 
house culture. It is a very satisfactory fern. And 
just recently there is another from England called 
the Glory fern (Glory of Moordrecht). I have not 
seen it, but certainly from photographs and what the 
horticultural journals have said of it, it will make a 
very fine fern for the winter garden. 

THE SPIDER FERNS 

The name given Pteris ferns is descriptive of only 
part of them, as they vary greatly. They are com- 
monly used in made up dishes, or with other plants, 
but most of them will make fine single plants as well. 
P. Wilsoni is a popular sort making a compact plant 
with a unique tufted foliage of light clear green. 
P. cretica is dark green, or green lined with white, 
according to the variety. Victories is perhaps the 
best of the several variegated Pteris'. 




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FERNS loi 

OTHER FERNS 

The Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatmn) is another 
very desirable house plant and has been a favorite 
for years. It has very dark green substantial glossy 
foliage, and stands up well. There is a new Holly 
fern, however, which I think will replace C. fal- 
catiim; it is C. Rochfordiamim; its foliage is not 
only a richer deeper green, but the pinnae, or leaf- 
lets, are deeply cut and also wavy, and have given 
it the popular name of the Crested Holly fern. Be 
sure to try it among the next ferns you get. 

Fern balls, which are usually composed of one of 
the Davallias, sometimes prove unsatisfactory. Be 
sure in ordering to get them fresh from some re- 
liable mail order house, rather than take chances 
on them at the florist's. The best way, however, 
is to get them already started. If you get them in 
dormant condition, soak in tepid water and then 
give a temperature as near sixty degrees at night as 
possible until they start. 

While not strictly members of the fern family, 
the asparagus used for decorative purposes under 
the name of Asparagus Ferns, are commonly classed 
with them. Since their introduction they have 
proved very popular indeed. 

Asparagus plumosiis nanus, the Lace fern. No 
foliage is more beautiful than the feathery light 
green sprays of this asparagus. Notwithstanding 
its delicacy, it keeps wonderfully well when cut. 



I02 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

The plants can be grown as pot plants, or as vines. 
If wanted for the former purpose, keep the sprays 
pinched back at twelve inches, and the roots rather 
restricted. For vines, keep in large pots or boxes 
— always well drained — and keep well fed. 

Asparagus Sprengeri in both foliage and habit is 
very distinct from A. phimosus. The leaves re- 
semble small glossy pine needles, borne in long 
sprays, and as it is trailing in habit it makes a unique 
and beautiful plant for stands or baskets. The 
sprays keep well when cut, and make an excellent 
background for flowers. It is now used more uni- 
versally for green by florists than any other plant. 

Either of the above may be started from seed, or 
propagated by dividing old plants, but small young 
plants may be had of the florists at a very low price. 
They need about the same treatment as smilax (see 
page 94), but will do well in a temperature of fifty 
to fifty-five degrees at night. Shower frequently, 
but water only moderately. 

For many years these two varieties have held the 
field to themselves, but recently a new asparagus, 
of each type has put in an appearance. Hatcheri re- 
sembles phimosus nanus, but is more compact in 
habit and the leaves are much closer together on the 
stems. If it remains true to type, and is as hardy as 
phimosus, it will replace it, for it certainly is a more 
beautiful plant. A. S. variegata is a very pretty 
*' sport '^ with the leaves edged white. 



CHAPTER XIII 

PALMS 

THE number of palms adapted to house cul- 
ture is very limited but they comprise the 
most elegant of the decorative plants. 

Although popular now, they would be much more 
widely used if their culture were better understood. 
Mistakes made in handling palms are serious in re- 
sults, for they produce for the most part only two or 
three new leaves in a year, and so any injury shows 
for a long time; it is not soon replaced by new 
growth and forgotten, as with many of the more 
rapid growing house plants. 

Nevertheless, if the few cultural requirements of 
palms are carefully attended to, they are as easily 
grown as any plants and yield a solid and lasting 
satisfaction. 

The house palms, as I have said, grow very 
slowly. It is not only useless, but dangerous, to 
try to force them into unnatural growth. 

Palms do best when restricted as to root room. 
When your plant comes from the florist, do not get 
impatient after a month or so and think that a larger 
pot would make it grow faster. Repotting once a 
year while palms are growing, and not so frequently 

103 



104 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

as that after they are in eight- or ten-inch pots, will 
be sufficient. The best time for repotting is late 
spring — May or June. Use a pot only one size 
larger than that in which the palm has been growing. 
Remove carefully, do not disturb the roots, and put 
into the new pot carefully, ramming the new earth 
in firmly about the old ball with a thin piece of 
wood (see directions for repotting, page 40). 

The soil for palms need not contain as much 
humus (leaf -mould or peat) as that for most other 
house plants. Good rich garden loam, with sharp 
sand added, and bone meal worked through it, will 
be right. 

Be sure the drainage is perfect. Crock the pots 
carefully (facing page 41). If any of the crocking 
from the old pot comes out with the ball of earth, 
remove it as carefully as possible and fill in the space 
with soil. After potting, keep shaded for several 
days. 

While palms require plenty of w^ater, no plants 
are more fatally injured by overwatering. Above 
all must care be taken never to let water accumulate 
in saucers or jardinieres in which the pots are stand- 
ing. Water will soak up through a pot as well as 
down through it, and water-saturated soil will 
quickly become sour. When you do water, water 
thoroughly and then see that the pots are kept where 
they can drain out, and do not w^ater again until 
they show a tendency to get too dry. Much water 



PALMS 105 

will cause the leaves to turn brown. In this case 
change the treatment at once. (The looks of the 
leaves can be somewhat improved by cutting them 
to shape with a pair of scissors.) The amount of 
water required is much greater in summer than in 
winter, when the plants are practically at rest. 

Direct sunlight is not desirable for palms, but 
they should have plenty of light. Do not stick them 
away in a dark corner or an inner room and expect 
them to do well. They will stand such a situation 
several days without injury, but should be brought 
back to the light as soon as possible. They do well 
in north windows, providing the temperature of the 
room is high enough. Remember, however, that 
pots kept in a shady place will dry out much less 
quickly than those in the light or sunlight. If 
they are to be kept permanently where the sun does 
not strike, It is a good thing to add charcoal to the 
soil, as this aids greatly in keeping it from getting 
sour. 

Give plenty of air. The more the better, so long 
as a proper temperature is kept up, as that counter- 
acts the effect of the more or less poisonous atmos- 
phere of living-rooms kept closed during winter. 
Beware of drafts blowing across the plants, but 
provide plenty of fresh air. 

In the spring as soon as it warms up outdoors — 
say after the apple blossoms fall — plunge the 
palms outside. In a sheltered position, where they 



io6 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

can be given plenty of water. At this time, if they 
are not repotted, bone meal should be worked into 
the surface of the soil and a liquid manure of bone 
meal given once a month or so during the growing 
season. 

Both during winter and summer, shower the 
leaves frequently, with as forceful a stream as pos- 
sible, to prevent scale and mealy-bug getting a start. 
(For treatment see page 135.) Keep the leaves and 
stems clean by wiping off every once in a while with 
a soft cloth and soapy warm water, syringing with 
clean water afterwards. 

THE BEST HOUSE PALMS 

Although the number of palms cultivated is very 
large, very few indeed — only about a dozen — will 
give satisfactory results in the house. The fact that 
a palm will live — or rather, takes a very long time 
to die — under abuse, has misled people into think- 
ing that they do not need as much care as other 
house plants. This is a mistake. 

Palms may be considered in two classes, the fan- 
leaved and the feather-leaved, or deeply cut, sorts. 
Of the former there are but three sorts good for 
house culture. 

Latania Borhonica, the Chinese Fan-leaved palm, 
is the best known. It is one of the hardiest, stand- 
ing a temperature as low as forty-five degrees at 
night. It is broad in habit, and the large leaves are 



PALMS 107 

deeply cut and drooping at the edge, making a very 
attractive plant. 

Livistona rotundifolia, the Miniature Fan palm, 
is a more compact type of the above; not only the 
leaves but the whole plant being round in habit and 
growing quite dense. It is a beautiful lively green in 
color, and making a neater plant, is in many ways 
more desirable for the house than Latanda Bor- 
honica. It requires more warmth, however, and 
should be kept up to 55 degrees at night if possible. 

Chamcerops excelsa has the distinguished feature 
of forming shoots at the base, thus having foliage 
where most palms are bare, and in old specimens un- 
attractively so. Its leaves are shaped like those of 
Borhonica, but are smaller, and the leaf stalk in pro- 
portion is longer. It is a good strong variety. 

THE FEATHER-LEAVED PALMS 

Many of these are of more recent Introduction 
than the old favorite fan palms, but they have won 
their way to a growing and deserved popularity. 

Phoenix Rcebelenii is one of the newest. It is 
destined, I venture to say, to become the most pop- 
ular of all palms for the house. It has frequently 
been described as having *'the beauty of Weddel- 
liana and the hardiness of Kentia." That perhaps 
describes it, but does not do it full justice. It has 
several times the amount of foliage that Cocos Wed- 
delliana has, and is a more robust grower. It has. 



io8 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

unlike that palm, leaf stalks growing all the way to 
the bottom, the lower ones gracefully recurved and 
the upper ones spreading airily. It is very easily 
cared for, and on the whole wans on a larger num- 
ber of counts than any other house palm. 

Phoenix Rupicola has gracefully arching, droop- 
ing foliage and is very handsome, the dark green 
leaves being even more feather-like than those of 
Cocus Weddelliana. It is also one of the hardiest. 

Areca Verschaffeltii is unique in having a creamy 
colored mid-rib. It must be given the best of care, 
but will well repay any extra pains taken with it. 

The Kentias, K. Belmoreana, the Thatch-leaf 
palm, and K. Forsteriana, the Curly palm, are the 
hardiest of all the house palms and sure to give satis- 
faction. The former is of dwarf, sturdy habit, 
with broadly divided, dark green leaves borne up 
well on stiff stems. K. Forsteriana is of stronger 
growth, spreads more, and the divisions of the leaf 
are broader. 

Cocos Weddelliana is the most artistically grace- 
ful of the house palms. The finely cut, feathery 
leaves spring well up from the pot and from the 
slender erect stem. It is a small palm, and grows 
slowly. I think I should give it a place among the 
three choicest palms for the house, although, un- 
fortunately, it is not as hardy as some of the others. 
It is the best palm to use as a center for fern dishes. 

Seaforthia elegans, the Australian Feather palm, 



PALMS 109 

is a tall growing and stately variety, which does well 
in the house. 

Caryota iirens is commonly known as the Fish- 
tail palm, and on account of that distinguishing 
characteristic deserves a place in any good collec- 
tion. It is a large growing sort and will utilize 
more root room than most of the others. It is not 
so strong as most of the others described, but will 
succeed well if precautions are taken not to let it 
get chilled in cold weather. 



CHAPTER XIV 

CACTI 

PERSONALLY I am not an enthusiast over 
cacti. While a cactus in bloom is a marvel- 
ous sight, so gorgeous in fact that it is almost 
unbelievable and unreal, I prefer flowers a little 
less fervid and more constant. 

There are, however, two distinct advantages which 
most of the cacti possess, making them available for 
use where no other plants could be kept. They 
are practically proof against any hardships that may 
be imposed upon them, and they take up very little 
room. In addition to that they are always an in- 
teresting curiosity, and for that reason alone well 
worth the little attention they require. The low- 
growing sorts, among which some of the most curi- 
ous are to be found, may be given a narrow shelf 
or the edge of the plant shelf in the winter window 
garden. 

As far as care and soil are concerned, their re- 
quirements are simple. The most important thing 
to see to is that they are given perfect drainage. 
The soil should be sandy, and coal ashes, or better 
still, old plastering or lime rubbish, should be added. 
Only a moderate amount of water will be required 

no 



CACTI I" 

in winter, but when the plants are set outside in a 
well drained position in summer they should be 
showered frequently. As to temperature, although 
they come from hot climates, most of the sorts will 
stand as low as thirty-five degrees without injury. 
Just before and during the blooming period about 
sixty degrees is desirable, but forty-five to fifty 
degrees will be better at other times. Where room 
is lacking, they may, for the most part, be wintered 
over in the cellar, as described previously for other 
plants (page 71). Propagation is performed either 
by seeds or cuttings, the latter being the more gen- 
erally used, as they root very readily — just break 
a piece off and stick it in the sand. 

Considered from the layman's point of view, cacti 
are made up of two classes : those which are valued 
for their wonderful flowers and those which excite 
curiosity by their weird habits of growth. Some 
of the latter — such as the Crown of Thorns and 
the Mammillaria — have small or infrequent flowers. 

Specimens of this class, well cared for, are worthy 
of a place in any collection of flowering plants. 
They will stand, especially during the flowering 
period, weak applications of manure water. 

The Epiphyllums or Crab cacti (Ephiphyllum 
truncatum and its varieties) are by far the most 
valuable, because of their profuse and long flower- 
ing season, especially as it comes in the winter when 
bright flowers are scarce. E. t. coccineum, with 



112 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

deep scarlet flowers, is one of the best. Rucker- 
ianum, light purple with violet center; Magni- 
Hcum, white, slightly pinkish at the edge; and vio- 
laceiim super bum, white with rich purple edge, are 
some of the other good varieties of these beautiful 
plants. Phyllocactus is perhaps the next best 
flowering sort. The flowers are larger, more gor- 
geous, but borne only for a very short time. P. Ack- 
ermanni is one of the best of these. It has very 
large flowers, lily-shaped, bright red shading to light 
red with the inner petals, and the long gracefully 
curved stamens add to its beauty. It blossoms in 
May or early June, but the season is usually limited 
to two or three weeks. The night blooming Phyl- 
locactus, with white flowers, is commonly confused 
with the Night-Blooming cereus. Cereus may be 
distinguished by its angular stems as compared to 
the broad flat stems of Phyllocactus. C. grandi- 
■fiorus and C. Macdonaldiae, the famous Night- 
blooming cereuses, have white flow^ers which remain 
open only one night. They are, however, though so 
transient, a marvelous sight. Prone to strange tasks 
indeed is the hand of Nature which has fashioned 
these grotesque, clumsy, lifeless looking plants to 
accumulate nourishment and moisture for months 
from the niggardly desert sands, and to mature for 
a few hours' existence only these marvelously fash- 
ioned flowers which collapse with the first rays of 
the heat-giving sunshine. C. Hagelliformis, and 



CACTI 113 

C. speciosissimus, two very gorgeous flowered day 
blooming sorts, remain longer, but they are not so 
hardy as most of the other cacti. Opuntia, the 
Indian fig, is another flowering sort, though not so 
valuable. They are grotesque in shape and the 
flowers, which are various shades of red or yellow 
and two inches or so across, according to variety, 
look as though they had been stuck onto the plant. 

Of the other cacti commonly grown most are of 
dwarf form and a single window will accommodate 
quite a number of them. 

Echino cactus, the Hedge-hog cactus, is one of the 
best known of these. E. myriostigma, the Bishop's 
Cap, is a quite familiar variety. 

Echinopsis, the Sea-urchin cactus, is another queer 
dwarf type. The flowers seem much too large for 
the plants, being sometimes half a foot long. They 
are lily-shaped and rose pink or white, according to 
variety. 

Pilocerens senilis, the Old Man cactus, is another 
sort which always attracts attention in any collec- 
tion. The stem is covered with fine white hairy 
spines, three to five inches long, which give it a 
very peculiar appearance. When kept in the house 
the hairs are likely to become dusty and grimy. 
They may be protected by cutting two panes of glass 
into four long pieces, just wide enough to square 
the pot, and enclosing it, putting a fifth piece over 
the top. 



114 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Opiintia senilis, the dwarf prickly pear, is very 
similar to the above, but indoors makes a larger 
plant usually, although much smaller in its natural 
habitat. 

Anhalonium Ussuratiim, the Living Rock, is an 
other frequently encountered and very interesting 
sort. 

The Mammillarias are compact, neat little 
plants quite unique and attractive in spite of 
their spiral rows of vicious spines. They grow only 
a few inches high and have inconspicuous pale 
flowers of yellow, red or purple, followed by the 
bright red little fruits which are one of the most 
interesting characteristics. M. hicolor is one of the 
best and most frequently encountered sorts. M. 
plumosa has fuzzy spines, like the Old Man cactus. 
It can be kept clean by growing under a large glass. 

There are several succulent plants quite closely 
resembling cacti, which need about the same treat- 
ment. 

The century plant (Agave Americana) is uni- 
versally known. There are two sorts frequently 
seen, that with the green leaves and a variety with 
broad yellow bands which is much handsomer. 
They make excellent formal tub plants, standing 
almost any hardships and lasting for years. They 
are easily propagated from suckers and grow quite 
rapidly. They are, however, in the larger sizes very 
difficult to handle, armed with spines at leaf tips 



CACTI IIS 

and edges. Tub specimens are usually wintered 
over in the cellar, or at the florist's. There is an 
unfounded superstition that they bloom once every 
hundred years. They rarely flower when domesti- 
cated. Repot as often as needed, in fairly rich soil, 
while growing. Small plants are quite attractive in 
the house in winter and may be plunged outside in 
summer. The Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia 
splendens) is also quite well known. It makes a long 
tangled vine, full of wicked short thorns and small, 
pretty leaves. The flowers are not large but the 
bright red bracts add a touch of color and the plant 
is covered with them most of the year. It must be 
carefully staked up and trained, a short wide pot 
trellis being the best thing to use. 

" Little Pickles " (Othonna crassifolia) is quite 
a favorite basket and hanging plant. The odd, 
thick foliage looks like small cucumbers. It must 
be given plenty of light, sunshine if possible, to 
produce its flowers, which are small and yellow, in 
shape like those of the sun pink, but smaller. 

There are a number of other succulents sometimes 
used for house plants, among them the aloes, mesem- 
bryanthemums (fig marigolds), echeverias (E. 
metallica being the best sort), sedums and house 
leeks {Sempervivums) , among which 5^. glohiferiim, 
'' hen-and-chickens," is the most widely known. 
These do not occupy very important positions, how- 
ever, and space does not permit further description 
here. 




CHAPTER XV 

BULBS 

ULBS furnish one of the most satisfactory 
classes of winter-blooming house plants, es- 
pecially for city houses and apartments 
where conditions are not apt to favor the longevity 
of plants. 

They may be considered in two classes : — the 
forcing bulbs, such as narcissus and freesia, and 
those given natural conditions of growth in pots, 
such as amaryllis or callas. 

Most of the forcing bulbs are included in what 
florists term the "Dutch" and "Cape" bulbs. 
They may be had in a succession of bloom from 
Thanksgiving to Easter, and yet all the work is 
done at one time. The task of bringing them to 
bloom is an easy one. 

If you want to have the enjoyment of attending 
to the whole process yourself, procure your supply 
of bulbs from a reliable seed store, or order by mail. 
The bulbs should be firm and plump. The easiest to 
grow and the most satisfactory are hyacinths, tulips, 
narcissus and freesia. They can be grown in pots, 
but success will be more certain with small boxes 
four to six inches deep and any size up to the regu- 

ii6 




A pan of forct^d crocuses. The big secret of success lies in 
securing a good root growth before a top growth starts 




Few people realize that the gladiolus is an easily forced 
bulb for indoor bloom. This variety is named Victory 



BULBS 117 

lar "flat" (about 13x22 inches), according to the 
number you wish in bloom at one time. All the 
paraphernalia you will need is a supply of light, 
rich soil (one-third old rotted manure, two-thirds 
rotted turf -loam is good) a few fern or bulb pans, 
boxes, and your bulbs. Begin operations early 
in October. Cover the bottoms of your pots and 
boxes, which should have ample drainage (see illus- 
tration) with an inch or so of coarse screenings, 
charcoal lumps, pot fragments or sifted coal cinders 
to assure good drainage. Cover this with an inch 
or so of soil, and put the bulbs in place, setting them 
firmly, right side up, and near enough almost to 
touch each other. The " extra size " bulbs can go 
a little further apart, but not more than two or three 
inches. Then cover over and fill with the same soil, 
until the bulbs are an inch or so below the surface 
of the potting soil. 

The Dutch or Cape Bulbs. — The next step is to 
select your storage place, where the bulbs are to be 
kept while making roots, and until they are wanted 
to flower in the house. A dark, cold, dry cellar, 
free from mice, will do. If this is not available use 
the coldframe, if you have one, or simply dig a 
trench, in any well drained spot, about one foot 
deep, and long enough to hold your boxes and pots. 
After placing them here give them a thorough 
watering, and cover with six or eight inches of soil. 
Cover freesias only two inches, with a light soil. 



ii8 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

If you wish to keep tabs on your plantings, use a 
long stake, with place for tag at the top, in each pan 
or box. Don't trust to your memory. 

Your bulbs will need no further care until they 
are ready to be brought in, except, on the approach 
of freezing weather, to cover the trench with leaves, 
or litter if they are kept outdoors. In four or five 
weeks bring in hyacinths and polyanthus nar- 
cissi. Von Thol tulips may be had in bloom 
by Christmas. Success will be more certain with 
the other tulips and large flowered narcissi if 
you wait until the last of November before bring- 
ing them into the house. Their growth outside will 
have been almost entirely root growth; the first 
leaves may have started, but will not be more than 
an inch or two high. Immediately upon bringing 
them in, the bulbs should be given another good 
watering, and from this time on should never be 
allowed to suffer for water. When the flower 
spikes are half developed, a little liquid manure, or 
nitrate of soda, or one of the prepared plant foods, 
dissolved in water, will be of great benefit applied 
about once a week. The temperature for bulbs just 
brought in should be at first only 45 to 50 degrees ; 
after a few days 10 degrees more. In the ordinary 
living-room a little ventilation by opened windows 
will readily lower the temperature, but care should 
be taken not to expose the growing plants to any 
draft. Forcing bulbs, like almost all other plants, 



BULBS 119 

will be better and healthier with the maximum 
amount of fresh air compatible with a sufficiently 
high temperature. 

The plants thus brought into water, light and 
warmth, will grow with remarkable rapidity. Just 
as the first buds are opening out is the ideal time to 
use them as presents, as they will continue subjects 
of daily attraction for a long time. Those that are 
kept can be saved, either to plant out or use another 
year. Let the soil gradually dry out when they 
are through blooming, and when the tops are dead 
take the bulbs from the soil, clean them and store 
in a perfectly dry place, or in boxes, in dry sand. 

The colors and other qualities of the many varie- 
ties of hyacinths, narcissi and tulips will be found 
described in the fall catalogues of all the best seed- 
houses. 

As before stated, hyacinths, tulips, narcissi and 
freesias are the most readily forced and the most 
satisfactory bulbs. The beginner will do well, for 
his first attempt, to confine himself to these. There 
are, however, several more that respond to practi- 
cally the same treatment, and whose various types 
of beauty will repay handsomely the trouble of forc- 
ing them. 

I.vias and sparaxias are two more of the Cape 
group easily forced and well worth growing. They 
like a cool temperature, 35 to 40 degrees at night, 
even after having been brought in. They should 



120 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

not be put in the dark or covered with earth after 
potting, but started in a cool temperature, with 
light. 

Oxalis. Another very beautiful effect is had by 
getting a hanging basket, or a pot-hanger with 
which to suspend a six-inch or eight-inch bulb-pan, 
and in it start some oxalis bulbs. They do not 
need to be rooted first, but should be placed at once 
in the light and heat (about 55 degrees). They 
will send out spray after spray of beautiful flowers, 
continuing in bloom for months. Dry off and rest 
about June, if started in October; start again in the 
fall. Freesias and oxalis, to be had in bloom by 
Christmas, should be started in August. 

Easter Lily (Lillium Harrisii) is universally 
popular. It is usually bought from the florist in 
bud or bloom, but may be grown in the house. 
Large firm bulbs should be procured, and potted at 
once in five or six inch pots, and given the same 
treatment as above until root growth has been made, 
when they will still be several months from flower- 
ing. When wanted for Easter they should be 
brought into the house the first or second week in 
November. Keep rather cool for two or three 
weeks. Later they may be given a much higher 
temperature. When the pots are covered with 
roots, it is a good plan to carefully repot, setting 
rather deep, so that the new roots starting above the 
soil, may be of use. 



BULBS 121 

Lilliuni candidum and L'. longiHoriim may be 
given the same treatment but will require a longer 
time in which to mature. 

Calla (Richardia Aethiopica) The soil for 
callas should, where possible, be about one-third 
rotted cow manure. Otherwise make very rich soil 
with bone and whatever may be had but get the cow 
manure if possible. It also Hkes a great deal of 
water. Pot at once in large pots, give a thorough 
watering and keep cool and shaded for four or five 
wxeks, until active growth begins. Then give more 
heat, keeping it about 60 degrees if you can. They 
will continue to bloom a long time. In the spring, 
after flowering ceases, dry off gradually and lay 
the pots on their sides in a shaded spot, and rest 
until August. Beside the large white calla most 
commionly seen, there are several other forms which 
will be found described in good catalogues, among 
them Tom Thumb or Little Gem, a dwarf sort ; El- 
Uottiana, the Yellow calla; Godfrey, a dwarf ever- 
blooming sort, especially desirable as a pot plant 
where, as is often the case, the ordinary large white 
sort is too big to be managed conveniently; alho- 
macidata, white with purple throat, etc. The red 
and black callas are arums. 

Cyclamen. While these beautiful flowers may 
be grown from seed it is much easier for the ama- 
teur to get the bulbs or a growing plant. If the 
former, pot in four- or five-inch pots, using a light 



112 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

compost and giving little water at first. Repot as 
needed. Shade during summer and syringe fre- 
quently, give 55 to 60 degrees in winter, with liquid 
manure while flowering. When the leaves begin 
to look yellowish, dry off, and give a short rest but 
don't let them get dry enough to shrivel. 

The Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa) may receive 
much the same treatment but is a summer bloomer. 
The bulbs or dried roots should be potted up in 
February or March and kept growing on and re- 
potted. One of their valuable characteristics is the 
great range of colors and combinations in the 
flowers, which are freely produced. 

The Amaryllis-like Group. Amaryllis {Hippe- 
astruni) is altogether too little known in its modern 
varieties. Everyone has seen one of the old forms, 
red or red with a white stripe, with the lily-like 
flowers borne well aloft above scant foliage. But 
the new named sorts are tremendous improvements 
and should by all means be tried, even if they seem 
expensive beside other bulbs, of which you can get 
a dozen for the price of one good amaryllis. Re- 
member, however, that the amaryllis is of the very 
easiest culture and will last for years. 

Pot the bulbs up as soon as received — they come 
in November — and let them stay dormant awhile. 
In a month or two they will begin growth and 
flower (unfortunately) long before the leaves 
have made much of a show. Do not dry off just 



BULBS 123 

because the flowers fade, — the plant has got to 
make its growth and store up food for next season. 
Continue to water and feed — outdoors in the sum- 
mer — until the leaves begin to turn yellow; then 
dry off and store in a cool place until the bulbs again 
show signs of growth. The flowers are generally 
borne from January until May and come in shades 
of crimson, blood-red and white and attractive com- 
binations of these colors. 

Vallota purpurea is little known, but a very use- 
ful plant for the window garden, resembling the 
amaryllis, but having evergreen foliage which, of 
course, gives it a distinct advantage. The flowers 
are reddish scarlet. 

Imantophylliini miniatuni is another very desir- 
able evergreen foliaged bulb, having large amaryllis- 
like flowers, red with a yellow throat. There are 
several varieties. 

The African blue lily (Agapanthus iimbellatus) 
is quite like the above but the flowers are bright 
blue, a large number forming each umbel, so that it 
is one of the most striking of plants. It naturally 
flowers in the summer (being carried through the 
winter by storing in the cellar), but by changing the 
resting season may be flowered in the spring. Un- 
like most of the other bulbs in this group, they 
should be repotted in rich soil every year, to do 
their best. Beside the above there are varieties 
with white and with double flowers and one with 



1C24 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

variegated leaves. They form a most interesting 
group. 

The Blood Flower (Hccnianthtis) has very 
beautiful flowers but they are produced in advance 
of the foliage. Give the same treatment as ama- 
ryllis. 

The above group will make a very unusual and 
desirable collection, easily managed, and giving sat- 
isfaction for a good many years. 

Tuberous Begonia. While this is not a bulb, 
strictly speaking, it is treated in about the same way 
as the bulbs. The tubers should be started in pots 
and not much larger than themselves, in a light, rich 
soil, using old cow manure and leaf-mould, if avail- 
able, to secure these characteristics. Repot as often 
as necessary until seven- or eight-inch pots are filled. 
Then feed while blooming. The tubers are dried 
off after growth, taken from the pots and stored in 
sand or sawdust to prevent shriveling. They are 
among the most satisfactory of flowers, but as their 
development has taken place largely within the last 
ten years or so, they are not yet nearly so widely 
known as they deserve. For flowering either in 
pots or outdoors they rank among the very best. 
Avoid direct sunlight. 

Gladiolus. This magnificent flower has gained 
rapidly during recent years, but few flow^er- 
lovers seem to realize as yet that it may be easily 
forced indoors. Pot up the bulbs in December, 



BULBS 125 

using a rich soil and setting them just even with it 
and covering with half an inch of gritty sand. 
America, May and Shakespeare are three of the 
best varieties for forcing but new ones are being 
produced every year. Keep cool until a good root 
growth is made, then shift to four- or five-inch pots 
and keep in a room of 45 to 50 degrees at night. 

Caladmms. While the fancy-leaved caladiums 
require a higher temperature than most house plants, 
they will repay the extra care and heat demanded 
in cases where it can be given. Start in February. 
Cover under and over with fine sphagnum moss, 
kept moist, and give 60 degrees until the roots start, 
which they will do quickly. Then pot in rather 
small pots, using a rich, light soil, with plenty of 
leaf-mould and sand. Water sparingly at first; 
shift on and give manure water as the leaves de- 
velop. Give all the light possible without letting 
the direct sunlight strike them during the heat of 
the day. Fifty-five degrees at night is the minimum 
temperature to allow. When the leaves begin to die 
dry ofif and treat as for begonias. 

Lily-of-the-V alley (Convallaria ma j alls) may be 
forced in the house where sufficient bottom heat 
can be given and they are very desirable flowers, 
possessing a grace, beauty and fragrance seldom 
combined. Get " cold storage pips " and place in 
deep fiats of pure sand. They may be stored in the 
cold and brought in as desired. Increase the 



1:26 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

temperature gradually until by placing over a ra- 
diator or in some other exceptionally warm place, 75 
to 80 degrees is given at the bottom of the box. 
Keep covered from the light until the buds show 
when the shading should be gradually removed. 

Iris. The Spanish iris makes a very desirable 
plant for forcing and the plants are easily managed. 
A list of colors, etc., will be found in most of the 
fall bulb catalogues. They are quite distinct from 
the Japanese and German irises ordinarily seen out- 
doors. Start same as caladium, but they do not re- 
quire so much heat. 

Spirea (Astilhe Japonica). Several varieties 
of this beautiful flower are good for forcing. 
When the roots are received pot up in light, rich 
soil, water thoroughly, and set in a shaded place. 
Remove to the cellar or a deep coldframe as freez- 
ing weather comes on. Do not let the soil dry out. 
After the first of January bring into heat gradually. 
Sprinkle frequently as growth develops. 

Ranunctihis or buttercups, listed in the catalogues 
as Turkish, Persian and French, are very easily 
grown flowers. They have fleshy roots which are 
given the same treatment as Cape bulbs, i.e., started 
in light. 

Poppy-Howered 'Anemones (A. fulgens and A. 
coronaria) are also easily grown in the same way. 
They come in a variety of colors, including reds, 
whites, and blues. They are very cheery little 



BULBS 127 

flowers, two Inches or so across, and well worth giv- 
ing a few pots to. 

Several of the bulbs are easily grown in water, 
or pebbles and water, with no soil at all. The best 
known of these is the Chinese Sacred Lily. The 
Golden Chinese Lily is not so well known but very 
desirable. Hyacinths are easily grown in pure 
water; a special vase called the "hyacinth glass" 
being made for the purpose. 




CHAPTER XVI 

VERANDA BOXES, WINDOW-BOXES, VASES AND HANG- 
ING BASKETS 

ANY of the plants ordinarily set outdoors 
in pots, or planted in the flower beds, 
could be much more effectively used in 
veranda boxes, window-boxes, vases or hanging 
baskets. 

The veranda boxes are generally about eight by 
six inches, made as described on page 9, and of 
the right length to fit some window-sill, or the corner 
or top of a veranda railing. 

Arrangements for watering should be made as 
convenient as possible, as this work is almost sure 
to be more or less neglected during the hot months 
when it needs frequent and thorough attention. 

The soil used should be porous and very rich, as 
many plants will have to get their nourishment from 
a very limited space. 

The majority of the plants described in the fore- 
going pages may be utilized successfully in box 
work; which ones in any particular case should de- 
pend on circumstances, such for instance as whether 
the boxes will be in partial shade, or strong 
sunlight; or whether in a sheltered or a wind- 




\\ ^ 





It is not necessary to have your window garden consist of 

tomato cans or old saucers — a little ingenuity will suggest 

such improvements as this movable plant table 



VERANDA-BOXES, WINDOW-BOXES, VASES 329 

swept position. A favorite combination is dracae- 
nas, Nutt or Beaiite Poitevine, with the variegated 
vinca as a front border. The lover of plants de- 
sirous of artistic effects will not be content, however, 
to go by fixed rules where so many opportunities for 
expression of individual taste are offered. 

There are two warnings to be given in addition 
to the suggestions above. Do not attempt to crowd 
too many plants into the small space available; re- 
member that as a safe rule the most pleasing re- 
sults will be obtained by the use of a very few kinds 
and colors. A good way to be sure of not making 
mistakes is to fill the boxes to within three or four 
inches of the top, arrange the plants, still in their 
pots, until a satisfactory picture is designed, and 
then fill up with soil and plant. 

Vases usually have three serious drawbacks ; they 
are very restricted in size, are exposed to the most 
drying action of winds and sun, and are not con- 
veniently watered. The last two disadvantages can 
be to some extent overcome by placing them in situ- 
ations at least partially sheltered and shaded, and 
by running a half-inch or three-quarter inch pipe 
(which may be bought second hand for two 
to four cents a foot, while good hose costs sixteen 
to eighteen), a few inches under the sod and up to 
the top of the vase. Such a pipe should be detached 
and drained in the fall and will last many years ; the 
few feet running up to the vase will be sufficiently 



130 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

concealed by the vines and reasonably inconspicuous. 

Where such precautions are not taken, restrict the 
plants used to those doing well in the heat, and a 
dry soil; one of the best is the ice plant (Mesem- 
hryanthemum) with flowers of pink or white, very 
freely produced. 

There is no prettier way of displaying plants than 
in the hanging basket, either in the house or on the 
porch. That one so seldom sees them is undoubt- 
edly due to the fact that few people seem to know 
how to fill and take care of them. In the first place, 
the basket should be as large as possible — a size 
or so larger than you think you ought to have, for 
what reason you will see in the following. 

Get a supply of sphagnum moss, and line the en- 
tire inner surface, sides as well as bottom, an inch 
in thickness; press down compactly, then fill nearly 
full of light, rich prepared soil, and put in the 
plants; something tall and graceful in the center, 
compact and dwarf-growing around this, and vines 
around the edges. Astonishingly beautiful results 
may be had with small baskets by using only one 
sort of plant in each, such as oxalis, ivy geranium 
or some trailing flowering vines. Cover the sur- 
face of the soil between the plants with clean live 
sphagnum moss. This will both add to the appear- 
ance and conserve the moisture. 

The best way by far to water hanging baskets is 
to have them so arranged that they may be taken 



VERANDA-BOXES, WINDOW-BOXES, VASES 131 

down easily and allowed to soak until thoroughly 
wet in a tub or pail of water — which will take some 
time, as the moss will be like a dry sponge. Let 
them drain until dripping ceases and hang in place 
again. 

If the above method is adhered to, you are sure 
to meet with success that will prove most gratify- 
ing. 



CHAPTER XVII 

HOUSE-PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 

F the suggestions for taking proper care of 
plants, detailed in a former chapter, are care- 
fully followed, and they are given plenty of 
fresh air and not crowded together, insects should 
not cause serious trouble. 

No matter how careful one may be, however, 
they are almost certain to put in an appearance 
and steps to combat them must be taken immedi- 
ately. Remember, however, that the best remedy 
is prevention, and the best prevention is to have 
good strong healthy plants. 

The two troubles perhaps the most common are 
neither insects nor disease. They are gas and sour 
soil. 

The faintest trace of furnace gas or of illuminat- 
ing gas will cause trouble, indicated by the yellow- 
ing and falling of the leaves and unsatisfactory 
development of buds. Where there is no way of 
eliminating the presence of these gases the only way 
to success with the plants — unless they can be en- 
tirely shut off in an enclosed place as suggested in 
Chapter II — is to take every possible care about 
leaks, and to give all the fresh air possible. 

Sour soil is the result of improper drainage con- 

132 



HOUSE-PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 133 

ditions, too much water, or both. It causes the 
leaves to turn yellow and checks new growth. 
Making right the harmful conditions will usually 
renew the health of the plant, but in bad cases it will 
be far better to remove the earth, wash the soil from 
the roots, carefully clean the pot — if the same one 
is to be used — and repot in good porous fresh 
earth. Keep on the dry side until growth is re- 
sumed. 

As a rule, insects do much more damage to house 
plants than is caused by diseases. One character- 
istic of nearly all plant insects which will astonish 
the amateur is the marvelous rapidity with which 
they increase. One to-day, and to-morrow a mil- 
lion, seems no exaggeration. While it may be true 
that, as one of our erstwhile best-selling heroes 
said, " a few fleas is a good thing for a dog ; they 
keep him from broodin' on bein' a dog," a few bugs 
are certainly not good for a plant, because in a day 
or two there will be enough of them to endanger its 
life and surely, quickly to ruin its appearance. 
Never let the bugs get a start. If you take them in 
time they're easy: if not you have a very difficult 
and disagreeable task on your hands. 

PLANT ENEMIES 

Aphis. Aphis or green plant louse is the most 
commonly encountered of all the insect pests. It 
used to be dreaded, but with modern methods 



134 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

it may be readily and effectively exterminated. 
There are several forms and colors of these pests. 
If you have attempted plant-growing you are un- 
doubtedly familiar with them. In the house, shaded 
places, crowded plants, poor ventilation, dry plants, 
all furnish environment favorable to the develop- 
ment of aphids. Change these conditions at once. 
The old method of fighting used to be by burning 
moistened tobacco stems, or steeping them in water 
and making a very weak tea for spraying. But 
either was a difficult, disagreeable and unsatisfac- 
tory method. There are now on the market three 
forms of tobacco all of which are easy to use and 
efficient. Tobacco dust — but it must be strong 
and made especially for the purpose ; liquid nicotine, 
to be diluted and sprayed on according to directions ; 
and prepared paper for fumigating. The last is per- 
haps the most effective. Besides these, and in my ex- 
perience pleasanter and quicker, is the comparatively 
new compound called Aphine, which can be had 
from almost any seedsman in quart tins — enough 
to make five gallons of very effective spray, which 
will not discolor flowers or foliage. 

Red Spider. This very serious pest is about the 
size and color of a grain of red pepper — although 
sometimes appearing brown or dull red. To make 
himself inconspicuous, he works on the under side 
of the leaves and behind a tiny web, but his pres- 
ence is soon made manifest by the leaves upon which 



HOUSE-PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 135 

he is at work, which first turn light green, then 
show minute yellow spots, turn yellow and finally 
drop off. 

The red spider is very tenacious of life, and hard 
to get rid of when he is allowed time to become 
well established. The best weapon to use against 
him, where it can be done, is clear cold water with 
as much force as possible against the under side of 
the foliage. Damp atmosphere assists in the work; 
so keep the air damp, and be on a sharp lookout. 
Evaporated sulphur, or flowers of sulphur dusted 
upon the leaves will also help. 

Where the collection of plants is not too large a 
one, the quickest and most certain way to be rid of 
the spider is to dip the top of each plant quickly two 
or three times into hot water — 140 to 165 degrees. 
Although uncomfortable to the hand, water of this 
temperature will not injure the tenderest plant. It 
is effective against aphis and mealy bug, as well as 
against the spider. 

Mealy Bug. The mealy bug inhabits a white, 
cottony looking mass, which is easily seen. Re- 
move this covering and the real intruder is there. 
It is most fond of the soft-wooded plants, such as 
coleus and fuchsias, thrives in a hot, dry atmosphere, 
and will keep out of sight, if not watched for, in a 
mass of leaves or under some branch axis, until 
there are a large number. 
, If they are discovered before multiplying to any 



136 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

great extent, exterminate them with a fine brush 
or feather dipped in alcohol, coal-oil or kerosene, 
any of which, if applied directly to them, will kill 
them on the spot. 

Scale. The scales infesting house plants are of 
two kinds. The more common is the brown scale, 
which has a hard, slightly convex, circular shell, one- 
quarter of an inch or so in diameter. The white 
scale is much smaller, and soon forms quite dense 
colonies. Both attack the thick-leaved, smooth- 
barked plants, such as palms, ferns, lemons, and 
abutilons. They do not appear to be doing any 
damage, but invisibly suck the juices of the plant. 
They should be destroyed at once. This is accom- 
plished by the use of fir-tree-oil soap, whale-oil soap, 
or kerosene emulsion and a stiff brush. 

Thrips. These do not often appear in the house, 
but may where plants are crowded in a shady place. 
They eat the substance of the leaves, leaving only 
the skeleton structure. They are small, about a 
quarter of an inch long, and brown or black. 
Aphine, kerosene emulsion or Paris green (one 
teaspoonful to twelve quarts of water) will keep 
them quiet. 

Root Aphis. Sometimes the leaves of a healthy 
plant will begin to look sickly with no apparent 
cause. It may be found upon examination that the 
blue root aphis is at work, clinging in clusters to 
the rootlets. Remove and wash away the soil, and 



HOUSE-PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 137 

then wash the roots in whale-oil soap suds, and re- 
pot in fresh soil. If no fresh soil is available, to- 
bacco tea or tobacco dust should be washed into the 
soil every other day for a week. 

Soil Worms. The common earthworms some- 
times find their way into a pot, and while they do not 
seem to bother the roots, I should judge from ob- 
servation that they render the soil next to useless, 
especially in small pots. Another worm, or rather 
larva, sometimes to be found, is very small and 
hatches into a small white fly. If numerous, they 
do a good deal of damage. The treatment recom- 
mended for root aphis will get rid of them; or lime 
water (slake a piece of fresh lime the size of an 
apple in a pail of water, drawing off the water after 
settling), if used freely will kill them. 

DISEASES 

There are but two plant diseases likely to attack 
plants in the house : fungus and mildew. The first 
seemxs to be a sort of decomposition of the leaf, leav- 
ing a black, powdery residue. It is combated by 
spraying with bordeaux. Bordeaux can now be had 
in paste or powder form, which for small quantities 
is much better than to try to mix it yourself. 

Mildew causes the tenderest leaves to curl up and 
some of them seem to be covered with a white 
powder. Flowers of sulphur, dusted over the plants 
while the foliage is damp, is the standard remedy. 

For the sake of ready reference, the foregoing is 



138 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

condensed in the following simple table of plant 
insects and diseases. 



INSECT 


CONDITIONS 




OR 


SUPPORTING 


REMEDIES 


DISEASE 


GROWTH 




Aphis, green and 


Shade; poor venti- 


Aphine ; tobacco-dust 


black 


lation; thick fo- 


or tea ; kerosene 




liaere 


emulsion ; hot wa- 






ter bath ; insect 






powder. 


Aphis, blue 


Stunted growth ; 


Whale-oil soap solu- 




lack of water. . . 


tion ; re-potting ; to- 
bacco tea applied to 
roots. 


Thrips, 54 inch, 


Shaded places ; 


Kerosene emulsion ; 


long, brown or 


crowded plants.. 


Paris green — i tea- 


black; they eat. 




spoon to 12 quarts 


Mealy bugs ] 




water. 


Other scale in- ) 


Corners; close, dry 


Brush off; coal-oil; 


sects J 


air 


kerosene emulsion ; 






hot water. 


Red spider 


Hot, dry atmos- 


Moisture, sulphur, 




phere 


hot water. 


Rose-beetle 




Hand picking; wood 

ashes. 


White flies (Aley- 






rodes) 


Dry foliage 


Kerosene emulsion. 


Slugs 


Dark corners; 


Air-slaked lime. 




dampness ; de- 


sweetened bran and 




caying wood. . . . 


Paris green. 


Ants 




Insect powder ; mo- 
lasses traps. 


Angleworms 


Dampness ; heavy 


Lime; lime-water; to- 




soil 


bacco tea, and to- 
bacco dust washed 
into soil. 


White grub 


Manure not old 
enough. Destroy. 




Fungous leaf spot 


Shocks ; checks . . . 


Bordeaux; Fungine. 
Flowers of sulphur; 


Mildew 


Checks 


Fungine. 



HOUSE-PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 139 

To make the kerosene emulsion, use 2 ounces of 
soap (whale-oil is much better than the common), 
I quart of boiling water (over brisk fire), 2 quarts 
of kerosene oil. Dissolve the soap in boiling water, 
remove from fire, and add oil. Churn or beat until 
of the consistency of cream. If correctly mixed, 
the emulsion, on cooling, will adhere without oil- 
iness to glass. Use rain water, if possible; if not, 
add a little baking soda to the water. 

For scale insects, dilute with 10 parts of water; 
for aphis and soft insects, with 15 or 20 parts 
water. In using kerosene emulsion, apply in fine 
spray. Remember it must come in contact with the 
insect to be effective. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

ACCESSORIES 

THE following list of implements and ma- 
terials is suggestive rather than impera- 
tive. While all these things are useful 
many successful flower growers get along without 
many of them. At the same time, if one adds to 
the garden outfit from time to time, the expense will 
hardly be noticed and in the course of two or three 
years a fairly complete set will be accumulated. Do 
not feel in the least that in the meantime you can- 
not grow flowers successfully. 

FOR MIXING SOIL 

spade, A good long-bladed sharp instrument 
should be procured, for use both in taking up plants 
and in cutting out sod, etc., for the compost heap 
and in " cutting down " the same for repiling. 

Hoe. Get a long blade with a straight edge. See 
that the ferrule and shank are of one piece if you do 
not want to be bothered with a loose head. 

Sieve. For small amounts of soil, an ordinary 
round coal ash sieve is just the thing. It is a good 
thing to have as it will insure getting soil for seeds 
and small pots to the proper degree of fineness. 

140 



ACCESSORIES 141 

Trowel. Don*t buy a cheap trowel. They may 
be had for fifteen or twenty cents but a fifty-cent one 
will outlast a dozen of these and not break just when 
you need it most. 

SOIL INGREDIENTS 

A sufficient quantity of soil constitutents should 
be kept on hand in barrels or covered boxes. Store 
where they will not dry out. 

Rich Loam or Rotted Sod. This is the basis of 
most plant soils. Keep a good supply ahead, that it 
may be thoroughly decomposed. 

Sand. What is known as " Builders' Sand/* 
medium, coarse and gritty, is the proper kind. Con- 
trary to some horticultural superstitions, it makes 
no difference what the color is, " silver " or gray, 
red, white or yellow. 

Leaf-moidd. Easily procured by scraping aside 
the top layer near some stone wall or hollow in the 
woods where leaves collect and rot from year to 
year. 

Sphagnum moss is another very valuable acces- 
sory. It can be gathered in most swampy places or 
bought cheaply at the florist's. 

Peat. Not obtainable in all localities, but it can 
be bought cheap from florists. Found under mucky 
bog-swamps but must be thoroughly dried and pul- 
verized before use. 

Bone meal This is invaluable for enriching plant 



142 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

soil. (See page 19.) The fine sort, sometimes 
called bone flour, is the quickest acting. For plants 
that stay potted for several years, it is best to use 
about two-thirds of the coarse-ground. 

FOR PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING 

Transplanting fork. This can be had in malle- 
able iron for fifteen cents and as it is not submitted 
to hard strains, like a trowel, will do as well as the 
seventy-five-cent imported sorts. It will save the 
life of innumerable seedlings, in lifting them from 
the seed box. 

Dibber. You can make two or three of various 
sizes in a few minutes from a piece of soft pine. 
They are used for pricking off and repotting. It 
will often be convenient to have one end bluntly 
pointed and the other rather flat. 

Sub-irrigation tray. The use of this convenient 
method of watering is described on page 24 and il- 
lustrated facing page 28. The tinsmith will make 
you a tray for fifty or seventy-five cents. It will 
certainly pay to have one if you attempt to grow 
many fine-seeded flowers. 

Watering can. As this accessory is more used 
perhaps than any other, and as the quality of the 
work it does is very important, it is poor economy 
to buy a cheap one. The Wotherspoon type, sold 
by most seed houses, is the best. It has brass fittings 
which will not rust, tighten or rot out and a coarse 



ACCESSORIES 143 

and a fine brass nozzle with each pot. They cost 
from two to three dollars, according to size, but are 
well worth the money. 

Pots. A good smooth red pot adds not a little to 
the looks of a plant. For the ordinary collection of 
house plants three shapes, quite distinct, are desir- 
able: "Standard" the sort ordinarily seen; 
*' Pans," very shallow for their width and used for 
bulbs, or ferns (facing p. 116) ; and " Rose " pots, 
or those exceptionally deep. The latter are good 
for plants requiring large root room, such as single 
bulbs, or plants demanding exceptionally thorough 
drainage. 

Bulb glasses. These are constructed especially 
to support the bulb, while permitting the roots to 
grow down into the water. They come in different 
shapes and colors and are not expensive. 

Hanging baskets. Attractive baskets can now be 
had cheaply. They are made of wire, rustic work 
or earthenware, and no plant lover should be with- 
out one or two, as they offer a most effective way of 
displaying plants. Use picture wire to support 
them, as cord is apt to rot and break. They should 
be hung so as to be easily taken down. 

Boxes. While these may be home-made, as de- 
scribed on page 9, it is often desirable to purchase 
one of the ornamental sorts now on the market. 
Many of them are hideous, but there are artistically 
designed ones. The " self- watering " box is a 



144 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

great labor-saver and well worth getting where one 
can afford the investment, as they will last for years. 

FOR HANDLING PLANTS 

In addition to the above there are a number of 
other devices often convenient to use. 

Brackets, frequently make possible the accommo- 
dation of a number of extra plants and show them 
off to the best advantage, especially vines and droop- 
ing plants. They are readily secured by screws to 
the window casing. 

Pot-hangers, can be had for a few cents each and 
used to convert pots of any size into " Hanging 
baskets." They very often solve the problem of 
what to do with a choice plant that is beginning to 
take up too much room. 

Pot-covers, made of water-proof material are now 
to be had in a great assortment of styles and colors 
and are very useful, especially in connection with 
potted plants used as gifts. 

Plant-stakes. Often any old stake is used for 
supporting drooping plants, such as fuchsias. A 
much better one can easily be made by taking a 
round stick, say one-half or three-fourths of an inch 
in diameter and boring small holes through it with 
a gimlet. Stout pieces of wire, of a size that will 
fit snugly are inserted and twisted once around to 
reinforce the wood. These may then be bent readily 
to any angle and thus made to conform with needs 



ACCESSORIES 145 

of the particular plant being supported. If one 
has a soldering outfit, the main stake may be made 
of heavy wire. 

RafHa. This may be bought cheaply at the flo- 
rist's and is much better than twine for tying up 
plants and similar purposes, as it is soft and broad 
— a dried, ribbon-like grass. It may be had stained 
green and with green stakes makes the support of a 
plant practically invisible. 

Syringe. If only a few plants are kept, a rubber 
bulb plant sprinkler may do for syringing them. 
But if one wants to combat insects and keep plants 
healthy with the least trouble, a small florist's brass 
syringe will prove a good investment. With ordi- 
nary care they will last a lifetime. It will also be 
useful for applying insecticides in liquid form. 

Fertilisers. In addition to the chemicals, etc., 
described in Chapter III, there are to be had con- 
centrated plant foods in tablet form. These are 
very convenient to use, and a box kept on hand will 
frequently prove useful. If any number of plants 
are kept, however, an old metal pail and a small dip- 
per, for mixing and applying liquid manure, should 
have a place in the tool outfit and be used fre- 
quently. Never apply liquid manure when the soil 
is dry. 



Part Two — Home Glass 
CHAPTER XIX 

ITS OPPORTUNITIES 

IT cannot be said that America has yet reached 
the gardening age. There is no doubt, how- 
ever, that the appreciation of flowers, and the 
liking for things horticultural in general, is growing 
rapidly. The stimulus that compels hundreds to 
turn with delight to the joy in the creative work of 
growing things arises from a sound foundation. 
Comparatively few people, however, realize that 
this pleasure can be had by them around the entire 
circle of the months. They look forward to plant- 
ing time in the spring and accept as inevitable the 
cessation of their gardening adventures with the first 
frost. 

It is to such people that the message of home glass 
must come as good tidings indeed. For them the 
gentle art of gardening under glass has seemed a 
distant and mysterious thing. Little indeed have 
they realized how easily it might be brought within 
reach; that instead of being an expensive luxury it 
would be by no means impossible to make it a pay- 
ing investment, yielding not only pleasure but profit 
as well. 

146 



ITS OPPORTUNITIES W 

As a matter of fact, when one's mind is once made 
up not to sacrifice the pleasures of gardening for six 
months every year, a little energy, ingenuity and 
a very few dollars will go a long way in providing 
the necessary equipment. 

Nor is the care of the ordinary flowers, and the 
vegetables suited for winter use, such a complicated 
profession that the beginner cannot achieve quite a 
considerable measure of success with his or her very 
first attempts, provided that regular care is given 
the work in hand. It is a much easier task than 
succeeding with plants in the house, notwithstand- 
ing the fact that general opinion is to the contrary. 

It is not necessary to start in on a large scale. 
A very few square feet of soil, where all the con- 
ditions can be controlled as they are under glass, 
will produce an amazing amount. Take for in- 
stance lettuce grown for the home table. How 
good it is right fresh and crisp from the soil com- 
pared to the wilted or artificially revived bunches 
one can get at the grocer's ! Outdoors you put it a 
foot apart in rows a foot and a half apart ; a patch 
3 X 10 feet would give you twenty heads. In the 
home garden under glass you set out a batch of 
Grand Rapids lettuce plants, one of the very best 
in quality, six inches each way, so that a little piece 
of bench 3 x lo feet would give you one hundred 
heads (which incidentally at the grocer's would cost 
you $10. or $12. — enough good money to buy glass 



148 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

for a quite roomy little lean-to). (See page 164.) 
Details of construction, etc., are given in the fol- 
lowing pages, but the most important thing of all is 
just to make up your mind that you will have a lit- 
tle greenhouse of your own. If you once decide to 
have it the way can be found, for the necessary cash 
outlay is very small indeed. 

Think of the variety of ways you could use such 
a winter garden! Not only may lettuce, radishes, 
tomatoes, cucumbers, beets and other vegetables be 
had out of season, but you can get a better start 
with your garden than ever before — put it weeks 
and weeks ahead of the old sow-out-in-the-ground 
way. And then consider the flowers! A dozen 
carnation plants, for instance, would occupy about 
six square feet of room, say 2x3 feet of bench, and 
would supply you comfortably with blossoms all 
winter long — nice fresh ones outlasting twice over 
the cold storage blooms from the retail florist's — 
to say nothing of the added value of having them 
actually home grown. 




It is surprising how most people over-estimate the difficulties 

and expense of maintaining a small greenhouse. In relation 

to the pleasure one brings, the cost is exceedingly small 




A lean-to type of greenhouse, such as has been built on the 

east wall of this houst, is within reach of almost any owner 

of a small country plate 



CHAPTER XX 

THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED 

THE simplest form of home glass is the cold- 
frame. The simplest hothouse is the ma- 
nure heated coldframe or hotbed. 

The following directions for making the frames 
and preparing the soil for them are taken from the 
author's Home Vegetable Gardening. 

For the ordinary garden, all the plants needed 
may be started successfully in hotbeds and cold- 
frames. The person who has had no experience 
with these has usually an exaggerated idea of their 
cost and of the skill required to manage them. The 
skill is not as much a matter of expert knowledge 
as of careful regular care, daily. Only a few min- 
utes a day, but every day. The cost need be but 
little, especially if one is a bit handy with tools. 
The sash which serves for the cover, and is re- 
movable, is the important part of the structure. 
Sash may be had, ready glazed and painted, at 
from $2.50 to $3.50 each, and with care they will 
last ten or even twenty years, so you can see at 
once that not a very big increase in the yield of 
your garden will be required to pay interest on the 
investment. Or you can buy the sash unglazed, at 

149 



150 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

a proportionately lower price, and put the glass in 
yourself, if you prefer to spend a little more time 
and less money. However, if you are not familiar 
with the work, and want only a few sash, I would 
advise purchasing the finished article. In size they 
are three feet by six. 

Frames upon which to put the sash covering may 
also be bought complete, but here there is a chance 
to save money by constructing your own frames — 
the materials required being 2x4 inch lumber for 
posts, and inch-boards; or better, if you can easily 
procure them, plank 2x12 inches. 

So far as these materials go the hotbed and cold- 
frame are alike. The difference is that while the 
coldframe depends for its warmth upon catching 
and holding the heat of the sun's rays, the hotbed 
is artificially heated by fermenting manure, or in 
rare instances, by hot water or steam pipes. 

In constructing the hotbed there are two methods 
used; either placing the frames on top of the ma- 
nure heap or by putting the manure within the 
frames. The first method has the advantage of 
permitting the hotbed to be made upon frozen 
ground, when required in the spring. The latter, 
which is the better, must be built before the ground 
freezes, but is more economical of manure. The 
manure in either case should be that of grain-fed 
horses, and if a small amount of straw bedding, or 
leaves — not more, however, than one-third of the 



THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED 151 

latter — be mixed among it, so much the better. 
Get this manure several days ahead of the time 
wanted for use and prepare by stacking in a com- 
pact, tramped down heap. Turn it over after three 
or four days, and re-stack, being careful to put the 
manure from the top and sides of the pile now on 
the inside. 

Having now ready the heating apparatus and the 
superstructure of our miniature greenhouse, the 
building of it is a very simple matter. If the 
ground is frozen, spread the manure in a low, flat 
heap nine or ten feet on each side, a foot and a half 
deep, and as long as the number of sash to be used 
demands. A cord of manure thus furnishes a bed 
for about three sash, not counting for the ends of 
the string or row. This heap should be well trod- 
den down and upon it should be placed the box or 
frame upon which the sash are to rest. In using 
this method it will be more convenient to have the 
frame made up beforehand and ready to place upon 
the manure, as shown in one of the illustrations. 
This should be at least twelve inches high at the 
front and some half a foot higher at the back. Fill 
in with at least four inches — better six — of good 
garden soil containing plenty of humus so that it 
may allow water to soak through readily. 

The other method is to construct the frames on 
the ground before severe freezing, and in this case 
the front should be at least twenty- four inches high, 



152 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

part of which — not more than half — may be be- 
low the ground level. The 2x12 inch planks, when 
used, are handled as follows : stakes are driven in to 
support the back plank some two or three inches 
above the ground, — which should, of course, be 
level. The front plank is sunk two or three inches 
into the ground and held upright by stakes on the 
outside, nailed on. Remove enough dirt from in- 
side the frame to bank up the planks about halfway 
on the outside. When this banking has frozen to a 
depth of two or three inches, cover with rough ma- 
nure or litter to keep frost from striking through. 
The manure for heating should be prepared as above 
and put in to the depth of a foot, trodden down, first 
removing four to six inches of soil to be put back 
on top of the manure, — a cord of the latter, in 
this case, serving seven sashes. The vegetables to 
be grown, and the season and climate, will deter- 
mine the depth of manure required — it will be from 
one to two feet, — the latter depth seldom being 
necessary. 

It must not be overlooked that this manure, when 
spent for heating purposes, is still as good as ever 
to enrich the garden, so that the expense of putting 
it in and removing it from the frames is all that 
you can fairly charge up against your experiment 
with hotbeds, if you are interested to know whether 
they really pay. 

The exposure for the hotbeds should be where 



THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED 153 

the sun will strike most directly and where they 
will be sheltered from the north. Put up a fence 
of rough boards, five or six feet high, or place the 
frames south of some building. 

The coldframe is constructed practically as in the 
hotbed, except that if manure is used at all it is for 
the purpose of enriching the soil where lettuce, rad- 
ishes, cucumbers or other crops are to be grown 
to maturity in it. 

All this may seem like a lot of trouble to go for 
such a small thing as a packet of seed. In reality it 
is not nearly so much trouble as it sounds, and then, 
too, this is for the first season only. You will have 
a well built frame lasting for years — forever, if 
you want to take a little more time and make it of 
concrete instead of boards. 

But now that the frame is made, how to use it is 
the next question. 

The first consideration must be the soil. It 
should be rich, light, friable. There are some gar- 
den loams that will do well just as taken up, but as 
a rule better results wnll be obtained where the soil 
is made up specially, as follows : rotted sods two 
parts, old rotted manure one part, and enough coarse 
sand added to make the mixture fine and crumbly, 
so that, even when moist, it will fall apart when 
pressed into a ball in the hand. Such soil is best 
prepared by cutting out sod, in the summer, where 
the grass is green and thick, indicating a rich soil. 



154 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Along old fences or the roadside where the wash has 
settled will be good places to get limited quantities. 
These should be cut with considerable soil and 
stacked, grassy sides together, in layers in a com- 
post pile. If the season proves very dry, occasion- 
ally soak the heap through. In late fall put in the 
cellar, or wherever solid freezing will not take 
place, enough to serve for spring work under glass. 
The amount can readily be calculated ; soil for three 
sash, four inches deep, for instance, would take 
eighteen feet or a pile three feet square and two 
feet high. The fine manure (and sand, if neces- 
sary) may be added in the fall or when using in the 
spring. Here again it may seem to the amateur 
that unnecessary pains are being taken. I can but 
repeat what has been suggested all through these 
pages, that it will require but little more work to do 
the thing the best way as long as one is doing it at 
all, and the results will be not only better, but prac- 
tically certain — and that is a tremendously impor- 
tant point about all gardening operations. 

While the cold frame and hotbed offer great ad- 
vantages — especially in the way of room — over 
growing plants and starting seed in the house, they 
are nevertheless incomparably less useful than the 
simplest small greenhouse. Plants may be wintered 
over in them, violets may be grown in them, lettuce 
may be grown late in the fall and early in the spring, 
and followed by cucumbers. But they are not con- 



THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED I5S 

venient to work in. One is dependent on the 
weather. They are not satisfactorily under con- 
trol. Take, for instance, one of those dark fall 
days, with a cold nasty drizzle cutting down on a 
slant, or one of those bright sunny and cloudy chill- 
winded spring days, when no pleasure is to be had 
out-of-doors. Under the shelter of your little glass 
roof, where you can make your own weather, what 
fun it is to be potting up a batch of cuttings, or put- 
ting in a few packets of choice seed for the extra 
early garden ! There is nothing like it. 



CHAPTER XXI 

THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL 

GREENHOUSES 

HAVE you ever stepped from the chill and 
dreariness of a windy day, when it seems as 
if the very life of all things growing were 
shrunk to absolute desolation, into the welcome 
warmth and light and fragrance, the beauty and joy 
of a glass house full of green and blossoming plants? 
No matter how small it was, even though you had 
to stoop to enter the door, and mind your elbows as 
you went along, what a good, glad comfortable feel- 
ing flooded in to you with the captive sunlight! 
What a world of difference was made by that sheet 
of glass between you and the outer bitterness and 
blankness. Doubtless such an experience has been 
yours. Doubtless, too, you wished vaguely that 
you could have some such little corner to escape to, 
a stronghold to fly to when old winter lays waste 
the countryside. But April came with birds, and 
May with flowers, and months before the first dark, 
shivery days of the following autumn, you had for- 
gotten that another winter would come on, with 
weeks of cheerless, uncomfortable weather. Or 
possibly you did not forget, until you had investi- 

IS6 



CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES I57 

gated the matter of greenhouse building and found 
that even a very small house, built to order, was far 
beyond your means. 

Do not misunderstand me as disparaging the con- 
struction companies : they do excellent work — and 
get excellent prices. You may not be able to afford 
an Italian garden, with hundreds of dollars' worth 
of rare plants, but that does not prevent your hav- 
ing a more modest garden spot, in which you have 
planned and worked yourself. Just so, though one 
of these beautiful glass structures may be beyond 
your purse, you may yet have one that will serve 
your purpose just as practically. The fact of the 
matter is, you can have a small house at a very 
small outlay, which will pay a good very good in- 
terest on your investment. With it you will be 
able to have flowers all the year round, set both your 
flower and vegetable garden weeks ahead in the 
spring, save many cherished plants from the gar- 
den, and have fresh green vegetables, such as let- 
tuce, radishes, tomatoes and cucumbers that can 
readily be grown under glass. And you will be 
surprised, if you can give the work some personal 
attention, or, better still, have the fun of doing a 
little of the actual building yourself, at how small 
an outlay you can put up a substantial struc- 
ture of practical size, say 20 feet by 10 — of the 
" lean-to " form. 

By way of illustration let us see what the ma- 



158 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 



terial for such a house would cost, and how to erect 
it. Almost every dwelling house has some shel- 
tered corner or wall where some glass " lean-to " 
could easily be added, and the shape and dimensions 
can be made to suit the special advantages offered. 
We will consider a simple house of the lean-to 
type, requiring a wall, to begin with, 20 feet long 





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Fig. '2 — Floor plan of the 
lean-to type of green- 
house shown in section 
on the opposite page. 



and 7 feet high, down to the ground, or a foot or 
so below it, if you can dig out. Below is listed the 
material such a house would require. With modern 
patented framing methods such a house has been 
estimated by greenhouse building companies to cost, 
for the material only, from $325 to $400. Yet 
you can have a wooden house that will serve your 
purpose at a cost for materials of $61 and, if 
you do not care to put it together yourself, a labor 
cost of, say, one-third more. 

As our north wall is already in place, we have 
only four surfaces to consider, as the accompany- 
ing diagram shows — namely, south wall, gable 
ends, roof and openings. For the roof we will re- 



CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES 159 



quire a ridge against the wall of the dwelling house, 
sash-bars running at right angles to this, a 
" purlin," or support, midway of these, and a sill 



Z''.^^-" ploii —^^^ 



A' post"" 




Fig. 3 — A sectional view of a two-bench, 10 x 20 ft. 
house built against the dwelling wall. If possible it 
would be well to gain a steeper slope for the glass and 
better headroom. The detail in the upper right hand 
corner shows, at larger scale, the plate and front lights, 
indicated just below in the main section. 

for the lower ends. For the south wall we will 
need posts, one row of glass, and boards and 
" sheathing." For the gable ends, a board and 
sheathing wall to the same height, and for the bal- 
ance, sash-bars and glass. The required openings 
will be a door or doors, and three ventilators, to give 
a sufficient supply of fresh air. 



i6o GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 
For these the material required will be : 

10 ft. of 2-in. X 4-in. ridge $ 0.80 

13 10- ft. drip bars 3.25 

2 10- ft. end bars 1.00 

5 6-ft. X V/^-'m. second-hand pipe posts 50 

20 ft. i-in. second-hand iron pipe i.oo 

4 i%.-m. X i-in. clamps 50 

20 ft. 2-in. X 4-in. eaves plate 1.60 

20 ft. 2-in. X 6-in. sill 2.20 

15 I-in. pipe straps 50 

18 ft. 2-in. X 4-in. sill, for gables 1.50 

40 ft. side bars, random lengths, for gables i.oc 

3 ventilating sash for 3 24-in. x i6-in, lights 3.00 

9 i6-in. headers for ventilators 40 

6 hinges with screws for ventilators 75 

1 roll tar paper, single-ply 2.00 

6 boxes 24-in. X i6-in. glass, B double thick 24.00 

75 lbs. good greenhouse putty 2.50 

Total of items listed above $46.50 

All of the above will have to come from a green- 
house material supply company, and prices given 
do not include freight charges. The following 
items may probably be bought more economically in 
your immediate vicinity, and the prices will vary in 
different sections of the country : — 

Total of items listed above $46.50 

240 ft. rough I-in. boards 7.50 

6 posts, 4 in. thick, 6 ft. long, planed on one side 1 - qq 

2 posts. 4 in. thick, 8 ft. long, planed on one side 

1000 shingles 4.00 

Total cost of materials $61.00 

Estimate of labor 20.00 

Total cost of greenhouse $81.00 

Level off a place about 22 x 12 feet, and set in 



CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES i6i 

the posts as indicated in the plan on page 158, taking 
care to get the lines for the ends of the house per- 
fectly square with the wall, and exact in length. 
This is best done by laying out your line's first with 
stout string, and making your measurements ac- 
curately on these. Then put in the posts for sides 
and ends, setting these about three feet into the 
ground, or, better still, in concrete. Put in the two 
corner posts, which should be square first. Next 
saw off all posts level at the proper height, and put 
in place the 2 x 4 in. eaves plate on top of these and 
the 2 X 6 in. sill just far enough below to take a 16 x 
24 in. light of glass, with its upper edge snug in the 
groove in lower side of plate, as shown in detail of 
section on page 159. Fit the 2 x 6 in. sill about the 
posts so that the mortice on same will just clear 
the outside of posts. Then put on the siding on 
sides and ends — first a layer of rough inch-boards, 
running vertically, a layer, single or double, of tar 
paper, and a second layer of boards, laid horizon- 
tally, covering on the outside with shingles, clap- 
boards or roofing paper. The five 7 ft. x i 1-4 in. 
pipe posts may now be placed loose in their holes, 
and a walk dug out of sufficient depth to allow pas- 
sage through the middle of the house. Rough 
boards nailed to stakes driven into the ground, will 
hold the earth sides of this in place. 

Next, after having it sawed in two vertically 
(thus making 20 ft), screw the ridge securely 



i62 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

to side of house at proper height, giving a thick 
coat of white lead at top to insure a tight joint with 
house. Now put one of the end bars in place, tak- 
ing care to get it exactly at right angles with ridge, 
and then lay down the sash-bars, enough more than 
1 6 in. apart to allow the glass to slip into place 
readily. Take a light of glass and try it between 
every fourth or fifth bar put into position, at both 
ridge and eave, as this is much easier than trying to 
remedy an error when half the glass is laid. Use 
" finishing " nails for securing the sash-bars, as they 
are easily split. Next, with chalk line mark the 
middle of the roof sash-bars, and secure to them the 
one-inch pipe purlin, which will then be ready to 
fasten to the uprights already in place. Next, make 
concrete by mixing two parts Portland cement, two 
of sand and four of gravel or crushed stone with 
sufficient water to make a mixture that will pour like 
thick mud, and put the iron pipe posts in their 
permanent positions, seeing that the purlin is level 
and the posts upright. (If necessary, the purlin 
can be weighted down until the concrete sets.) 
Then put into place the ventilators, glazed, and the 
headers for the same — short pieces of wood, cut 
to go in between the sash-bars, — and fit these up 
snugly against the lower edge of the ventilator sash. 
When laying the glass in the roof, which will now 
be ready, use plenty of putty, worked sufficiently 
soft for the glass to be thoroughly bedded in it, and 



CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES 163 

leaving no air-spaces or crevices for the rain to 
leak through later. If this work is carefully done, 
it will not be necessary to putty again on the outside 
of the glass, but it should be gone over with white 
lead and linseed oil. Be sure to place the convex 
surface of every light up. The panes should be 
lapped from 1-6 to 1-4 of an inch, and held securely 
in place with greenhouse glazing points, the double- 
pointed bent ones being generally used. The 
lights for the ends of the house may be '' butted," 
that is, placed edge to edge, if you happen to strike 
good edges, but as a general thing, it will be more 
satisfactory to lap them a little. The woodwork, 
before being put together, should all receive a good 
priming coat of linseed oil in which a little ochre 
has been mixed, and a second coat after erection. I 
have suggested putting the glass in roof and sides 
before touching the benches, because this work can 
then be done under shelter in case bad weather is 
encountered. The benches can be arranged in any 
way that will be convenient, but should be about 
waist-high, and not over four or four and a half 
feet across, to insure easy handling of plants, water- 
ing, etc. Rough boards will do for their construc- 
tion, and they should not be made so tight as to pre- 
vent the ready drainage of water. The doors may 
be bought, or made of boards covered with tar 
paper and shingles or roofing paper. 

The house suggested above is used only by way 



i64 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

of illustration. It may be either too large or too 
small for the purposes of some of the readers of this 
book, and I shall therefore -give very briefly de- 
scriptions of several other types of small houses, 
some of which may be put up even more cheaply 
than the above. The plainest is the sash lean-to 
somewhat like Fig. 3, which is made by simply 
securing to a suitable wall a ridge-piece to hold one 
end of the sashes for the roof, and erecting a wall, 
similar to the one described above, but without 
glass, and with a plain, 2 x 4 in. piece for a sill, to 
support the other ends. Either a single or double 
row of sashes may be used, of the ordinary 3x6 foot 
size. In the latter case, of course, a purlin and sup- 
porting posts, as shown in diagram, must be sup- 
plied. Every second or third top sash should be 
hinged, to open for ventilation, and by tacking strips 
over the edges of the sash where they come to- 
gether, a very tight and roomy little house can be 
put up quickly, easily and very cheaply. New 
sash, glazed and painted one coat, can be bought 
for $3 to $3.50 each. Ten of these would make a 
very practical little house, fifteen feet long, and 
over ten feet wide. 

Another form of lean-to where there are win- 
dows is shown in another diagram. The even- 
span house, of which type there are more erected 
than of any other, is also shown. The cost of such 
a house, say 21 feet wide, can be easily computed 




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CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES 165 

from the figures given in the first part of this chap- 
ter, the north wall, and purlin braces from the 



Fig. 4 — A simple form 
of lean-to greenhouse 
where there is an avail- 
able sheltering wall but 
with first-story windov/s. 
The inner slope or valley 
should be drained 




ridge posts, being the only details of construction 
not included there. 

A simple way of greatly increasing the capacity 




Fig. 5 — The simplest of 
all "greenhouses," which 
is in reality little more 
than a deep coldframe 
with an opening into the 
cellar 



of the ordinary hotbed or coldframe, is to build it 
next to a cellar window, so that it will receive some 
artificial heat, and can be got at, from the inside, in 
any weather. Several sashes can be used, and the 



i66 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

window extend to include as many of them as de- 
sired. 

By all means get a little glass to use in connec- 
tion with your garden this coming year. Put up 




Fig. 6 — The regular 
even-span type. A in- 
dicates a row of pipe 
standards ; BB, braces 
from these to the pur- 
lins. There is a fitting 
made for the junction C. 



one of these small greenhouses, if you can: if not, 
get a few sash, at least. Don't put it off till next 
year; do it now! 

In the next chapter we will take up the handling 
of vegetables and flowers in the small greenhouse. 
But don't be content to read about it. It's the 
pleasantest kind of work — try it yourself ! 



CHAPTER XXII 

METHODS OF HEATING 

IN the foregoing chapter on homemade green- 
houses very brief reference was made to the 
various methods of heating. It will be well 
to understand a little more in detail how to heat 
glass structures, as temperature is, next to moisture, 
the most important factor of success. If steam or 
hot water is used in the dwelling house and a green- 
house of the lean-to type is used, the problem be- 
comes a very simple one, as additional pipes can be 
run through the greenhouse. But as this advantage 
is not always ready to hand, we will consider the 
heating of an isolated house, and the principles in- 
volved may be adapted to individual needs. There 
are three systems of heating: flues (hot air), hot 
water, and steam — the latter we need not take up 
as it is economical only for larger structures than 
the amateur is likely to have. 

Heating by hot air carried through brick or tile 
flues is the simplest and cheapest method for very 
small houses. The best way of constructing such a 
system is illustrated in the diagram adjoining, which 
shows the flue returning into the chimney (after 

traveling the length of the house and back). This 

167 



i68 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

method does away with the greatest trouble with 
flue heating — a poor draft ; for immediately the 
fire is started, the air in the chimney becomes heated, 



s 



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JD 



Fig. 7 — ^The best arrangement for heating a 
greenhouse by hot air, is to run a brick or 
cement flue from the furnace around under 
the benches and Into the chimney over the 
fire AA — storage space; B — furnace; C — chim- 
ney; DDD — benches; E — furnace door. 

and rising, draws the hot air from the furnace 
around through the flue with a forced draft. This 
forced draft accomplishes three other good things : 
it does away with the escape of noxious gases into 
the greenhouses, lessens the accumulation of mois- 
ture and dust from wood smoke, and distributes the 
heat much more evenly throughout the house. The 
furnace may be built of solid brick, with doors and 
grates and an arched dome, and the flue should be 
of brick for at least one-third the length from the 
furnace into the house; for the rest of the way ce- 
ment or vitrified drain pipe will be cheaper and bet- 
ter. The flue should have a gradual upward slope 
for its whole length and will vary in size with the 



METHOD OF HEATING 



169 



house to be heated, from five to eight or nine inches 
in diameter, the latter being sufficient for a house 
60 by 21 feet. The flue should be raised a little 
from the ground, and at no point should any wood- 




Fig. 8 — Hot water is undoubtedly the most sat- 
isfactory method of heating the small green- 
house. The diagram shows a i|-inch supply 
pipe leading out from the boiler, with i-inch 
returns under the benches, making a satisfactory 
system for the lean-to type described in detail 
in the previous chapter. 

work be nearer than six inches to it. Very small 
houses, especially if not started up until January, 
may be heated by an ordinary wood stove with the 
stove pipe run the length of the house, but such an 
arrangement will give off a very drying and uneven 
heat, and require a lot of attention, to say nothing 
of its danger. 



170 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

By far the most satisfactory way will be to use 
hot water. If the size of the house will not justify 
the purchase of a small heater — a second-hand 
one may often be had at a very reasonable figure — 
a substitute may be had by inserting a hot-water coil 
in a stove or in the house furnace. In one 




Fig. 9 — For the larger greenhouse of the 
isolated double-slope type, 21 x 50 feet in size, a 
2-inch supply pipe, with five li-inch returns 
under the outer benches, will secure a tem- 
perature of 55 degrees. 

of the diagrams is shown an arrangement of 
pipes for heating a house 21x50 feet, and 
in another piping for lean-to described in 
the preceding chapter. With the small pipe suf- 
ficient for such a house as that illustrated in the lat- 
ter diagram, the work can be done by anyone at all 
acquainted with the use of pipe tools; if possible, 
the pipes should be given a slight downward slope, 



METHOD OF HEATING 171 

say one inch in ten feet, from as near the heater as 
practical. For all this work second-hand piping, 
newly threaded, will answer very well, and it may 
be bought for about four cents per foot for one-inch 
pipe; six cents for one and one-half inch, and eight 
cents for two-inch. In putting the stove or heater 
in place, it should be sunk below the level upon 
which the pipes will run, and attention should also 
be given to the matter of caring for the fire, remov- 
ing ashes, etc., making the management of these 
things as convenient as possible. 



CRaPTER XXIII 

MANAGEMENT 

EXPERIENCE only can teach the beginner 
just how to manage his vegetables and plants 
in this new winter garden. But at the out- 
set he must remember one thing: If it is true that 
he has control of his miniature world of growing 
things it is also true that he can leave nothing, as 
he does with his outside garden, to the treatment 
of nature. The control is in his hands — the 
warmth, the moisture, the fresh air, the soil — none 
can be left to chance; he must think of them all. 
And before going into details, which might at first 
be confusing, let us take up the elements of this 
little world over which we are to reign, and try to 
elucidate first a few general rules to guide us. The 
house, after countless little delays and unforeseen 
problems conquered by personal interest and in- 
genuity, is at last ready, and the bare board benches 
look ugly enough in the bright, hot sunlight. How 
are they to be converted into a small Garden of Eden, 
when all outdoors is chained in the silent desolation 
of drifted snow? Here is a new task. No longer 
Nature's assistant, the gardener has been given en- 
tire management of this new sort of garden. It is 

172 



MANAGEMENT i73 

almost a factory, where he must take his raw ma- 
terials — earth, water, heat, light, and the wonder- 
ful thread of life, and mold these all into a hun- 
dred marvelous forms of beauty and utility. Some- 
thing of art, something of science, something of 
business, must all be brought to his interesting work. 
Let us begin then at the bottom. What is the 
best kind of dirt to use? It should be friable, so 
that it will not bake and cake in the pots ; rich, that 
the little plants may readily find ample nourishment ; 
porous, that water may be soaked up readily, and 
any surplus drained off freely. A soil answering 
all these requirements is made as follows : cut from 
an old ditch or fence-side, thick sods, and stack them 
with the grass sides together to rot. This heap 
should be forked over several times, when it has 
begun to decompose. In dry weather, if within 
reach of the hose, a good soaking occasionally will 
help the process along. The sods should be cut 
during spring or summer. To this pile of sod, 
when well rotted (or at time of using), add one- 
third in bulk of thoroughly rotted manure — cow 
and horse mixed, and a year old, if it can be ob- 
tained — and mix thoroughly. If the soil is clayey 
or heavy, add enough coarse sand and make it fine 
and friable, or use a larger proportion of the 
manure. Leaf -mould, from the w^oods, will also be 
good to lighten it with. This one mixture will do 
for ail your potting. Keep enough of it under 



174 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

cover, or where it will not freeze, to last you during 
the winter and early spring. Store some of it in 
old barrels, or in boxes under the greenhouse bench, 
if there is not a more convenient place. For very 
small pots, run it through a half-inch sieve. For 
the larger sizes, three inches and up, this will not 
be necessary — just be sure the ingredients are 
well mixed. 

Proper temperature is more likely to be the be- 
ginner's stumbling block than any other one thing. 
Different plants, of course, require different treat- 
ment in this respect; and just as your corn and 
beans will not come up if planted too early in the 
spring, or carrot or pansy seed in the heat of July, 
so the temperature in which a coleus will thrive 
would be fatal to the success of verbenas or lettuce 
under glass. It will often pay, where a variety 
of things are to be grown in the small greenhouse, 
to have a glass partition separating it into two sec- 
tions, one of which may be kept, either by additional 
piping or less ventilation, several degrees warmer 
than the other. So, while a general collection of 
many plants can be grown successfully in the same 
temperature, it is foolish to try everything. Only 
actual experiment can show the operator just what 
he can and cannot do with his small house. Even 
where no glass partition is used, there will probably 
be some variation in temperature in different parts 
of the house, and this condition may be turned to 



MANAGEMENT I7S 

advantage. The beginner, however, is more likely 
to keep his house too hot than too cool. He may 
seem at first to be getting a fine quick growth, and 
then wonders why things begin to be lanky, and 
yellow, forgetting that his plants can get no air to 
breathe, except what he is careful enough to give 
to them. For the majority of those plants which the 
beginner is likely to try — geraniums, petunias, 
begonias, fuchsias, abutilon, heliotrope, ferns, etc., 
a night temperature of 45 to 55 degrees, with 10 to 
20 degrees higher during the day, will keep them in 
good growing condition during the winter, pro- 
viding they are neglected in no other respect. So 
long as they are not chilled, they cannot have too 
much fresh air during sunny days. Make it your 
aim to keep the temperature as steady as possible — 
the damage done to plants is as often the result of 
sudden changes in temperature as of too high or too 
low a temperature. 

If it is easy to overdo in the matter of temper- 
ature, it is even more so in watering. A soil such 
as described above, when watered, will absorb the 
water rapidly, and leave none of it standing upon 
the surface of the pots after a few moments. Prac- 
tice, and practice only, can teach just when the soil 
has been sufficiently saturated. It should be wa- 
tered until wet clear through, but never until it 
becomes muddy. And when watered it should not 
be watered again until dry — not baked and hard. 



176 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

but a condition indicated by a whitening of the sur- 
face, and the rapidity with which it will again soak 
up water, a condition hard to describe exactly, but 
at once recognizable after a little practice. Dur- 
ing the dull winter months, it will be sufficient for 
most plants in the greenhouse to receive water twice 
a week, or even less often, but on the coming of 
warm spring days, more frequently, until care is 
needed daily. There are some old fogy ideas 
about soft and tepid water, which may help confuse 
the beginner: they accomplish nothing more. 
Recent experiments, made by one of the State ex- 
periment stations, have confirmed the experience of 
practical florists, that the temperature of water 
used, even to ice water, has almost absolutely no 
effect — the reason being that the water applied 
changes to the temperature of the soil almost before 
it can reach the roots of the plant at all. And 
hard and soft, spring and cistern water, have like- 
wise been used without difference in results. The 
main thing is to attend to your watering regularly, 
never letting the plants get dried out or baked. 

Not the least important of the " arts " which the 
worker under glass has to acquire is that of potting. 
From the time the cuttings in the sand bench are 
rooted, until the plants are ready to go outdoors in 
the spring, they have to be potted and repotted. 
The operation is a very simple one when once ac- 
quired. To begin with the cutting: Take a two- 



MANAGEMENT 177 

inch pot (a few of the geranium cuttings may re- 
quire a 2 1-2 inch pot), fill it level with the sifted 
soil and with the forefinger make a hole large enough 
to receive the roots of the cutting and half its length, 
without bending the roots up. With the thumbs 
press down the dirt firmly on either side of the 
cutting, and give the pot a clean, short rap, either 
with the hand or h)y striking its bottom against the 
bench f which should be about waist-high) to firm 
and level the earth in it. With a little practice this 
operation becomes a very easy and quick one. Place 
the pots side by side and give a thorough watering. 
Keep in a shaded place, or shade with newspapers, 
for four or six days, and as soon as growth begins, 
move the pots apart, to allow the free circulation of 
air before the plants crowd. The time for repot- 
ting in a larger size pot is shown by the condition 
of the roots; they should have formed a network 
about the side of the pot, but not have remained 
there long enough to become tough or hard. They 
should still be white " working " roots. To repot, 
remove the ball of earth from the old pot, by invert- 
ing, striking the rim of the pot against the edge of 
the bench (a light tap should be sufficient), taking 
care to have the index and middle finger on either 
side of the plant stem, to hold it readily. Put in 
the bottom of the new pot sufficient earth to bring 
the top of the ball of roots, when placed 
upon it, a little below the rim of the pot. Hold 



178 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

this ball firmly in the center of the new pot, and fill 
in the space about it with fresh earth, packing it in 
firmly, using either the fingers or a bit of wood of 
convenient size. As a usual thing it is best when 
shifting to use a pot only one size larger. For pots 
above four inches in diameter, provide drainage by 
*' crocking." This is accomplished by putting ir- 
regular shaped bits of stone, charcoal, cinders or 
pieces of broken pots in the bottom, being careful 
not to cover or plug up the hole. 

If the pots are placed directly on the bottom of 
the bench — board, slate, tile or whatever it is — 
they will dry out so quickly that it is next to im- 
possible to keep them properly watered. To over- 
come this difficulty, an inch or two of sand, or two 
or three inches of earth, is placed on the benches. 
When placing the pots upon this covering, work 
them down into it, just a little, instead of setting 
them loosely on top of it. 

There are several insect pests which are likely 
to prove quite troublesome if given a start and the 
proper conditions in which to develop — crowded 
plants, too much heat, lack of ventilation, too little 
moisture. Prevention is the best cure. Burn to- 
bacco stems or tobacco dust, used according to di- 
rections, every week (or oftener if required), and 
see that no bugs appear. One or two of the strong- 
est brands of tobacco dust for sprinkling are also 
used successfully applied directly to the insects on 



MANAGEMENT i79 

the plants, but my experience with most of these 
has proved them next to worthless. (See also 
Chapter XVII.) 

It is not nearly so interesting to read about the 
various greenhouse operations as it is to do them. 
It is work of an entrancing nature, and no one who 
had never taken a little slip of some new or rare 
plant and nursed it through the cutting stage and 
watched its growth till the first bud opened, can 
have an idea of the pleasure to be had. In the next 
chapter I shall attempt to explain just how to handle 
some of the most satisfactory flowers and vege- 
tables, but the inexperienced owner of a small 
greenhouse who wishes to make rapid progress 
should practice with every plant and seed that comes 
his, or her, way, until all the ordinary operations 
have become as easy as falling off a street car with 
him. Mistakes will be made, and disappointments 
occur, of course, but only through these can skill 
and efficiency be obtained. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

FLOWERS 

THERE are a number of greenhouse crops 
which are easily within the reach of the 
amateur who has at his disposal a small 
glass structure. One is apt to feel that something 
much more elaborate than the simple means at his 
hands are required to produce the handsome flowers 
or beautiful ferns which may be seen in the florist's 
window. It is true that many things are beyond 
his achievement. He cannot grow gigantic Amer- 
ican Beauties on stems several feet long, nor pre- 
sent his friends at Christmas with the most delicate 
orchids ; but he can very easily have carnations more 
beautiful, because they will be fresher if not quite 
so large, than any which can be had at the glass- 
fronted shops ; and cyclamen as beautiful, and much 
more serviceable, than any orchid that ever hung 
from a precarious basket. To accomplish such re- 
sults requires not so much elaborate equipment as 
unremitting care — and not eternal fussing but reg- 
ular thought and attention. 

There is, for instance, no more well beloved flower 
than the carnation, which entirely deserves the place 
it has won in flower-lovers' hearts beside, if not 

i8o 



FLOWERS i8i 

actually ahead of, the rose. As a plant it will stand 
all kinds of abuse, and yet, under the care which 
any amateur can give it, will produce an abundance 
of most beautiful bloom. Within a comparatively 
few years the carnation, as indeed a number of other 
flowers, has been developed to nearly twice its 
former size, and the number of beautiful shades 
obtainable has also increased many times. 

To be grown at its best the carnation should have 
a rather cool temperature and plenty of ventilation, 
and these two requirements help to place it within 
reach of the small greenhouse operator. If only 
a few plants are to be grown, they may be purchased 
from a local florist, or obtained by mail from a seed 
house. If as few as two or three dozen plants are 
to be kept — and a surprising number of blooms 
may be had from a single dozen — they may be kept 
in pots. Use five- or six-inch pots and rich earth, 
with frequent applications of liquid manure, as de- 
scribed later. If, however, part of a bench can be 
given to them, the results will be more satisfactory. 
The bench should be well drained and contain four 
or five inches of rich soil, such as already described. 
If it is too late to compose a soil of this kind, use 
any rich garden loam and well rotted manure, in 
the proportions of five or six to one. For plants 
to begin blooming in the early winter, they should 
be put in during August, but for one's own use a 
later planting will do. For this year, if you are too 



i82 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

late, get a few plants and keep them in pots. Next 
year buy before March a hundred or so rooted 
cuttings, or in April small plants, and set them out 
before the middle of May. Cultivate well during 
the summer, being sure to keep all flower buds 
pinched off, and have a nice supply of your own 
plants ready for next fall. 

In putting the plants into the bench (or pots) se- 
lect a cloudy day, and then keep them shaded for a 
few days, with frequent syringing of the foliage, 
until they become established. Keep the night 
temperature very little above fifty degrees, and not 
above seventy-five in the daytime, while sixty will 
do in cloudy weather. As to the watering, they 
should be well soaked when put in, and thereafter 
only as the ground becomes dry, when it should 
again be wet, care being taken to wet the foliage as 
little as possible. In the mornings, and on bright 
days, syringing the foliage will be beneficial, but 
never in dull weather, as the leaves should never 
be wet over night. 

As the flower stems begin to shoot up they will 
need support. If you can get one of the many 
forms of wire supports used by commercial flo- 
rists, so much the better; but if these are not obtain- 
able the old method of stakes and strings (or pref- 
erably raf^a) will do very well. To obtain 
large flowers the flower stems must be " disbudded " 
— that is all but the end bud on each stalk should 



FLOWERS 183 

be pinched off, thus throwing all the strength into 
one large flower. If, on the other hand, the ter- 
minal bud is taken off, and several of the side buds 
left, the result will be a beautiful cluster of blooms, 
more pleasing, to my mind, than the single large 
flowers, though not so valuable commercially. 

There are any number of wonderful new varie- 
ties, but the white, pink and light pink Enchantress, 
and one of the standard reds will give satisfaction. 

VIOLETS 

Requiring even less heat than the carnation is the 
old-time and all-time favorite, the violet. With no 
greenhouse at all, these can be grown beautifully, 
simply with the aid of a coldframe. But where a 
house is to be had, the season of blooming is, of 
course, much longer. The essential thing is to get 
strong, healthy plants. As with the carnations, if 
only a few are wanted, they may be grown in pots, 
using the six-inch size. The soil, whether for pots 
or benches, should be somewhat heavier than that 
prepared for carnations, using one-fourth to one- 
fifth cow manure added to the loam or rotted sod. 
If a bench is used, select one as near the glass as you 
can. Take in the plants with as little disturbance 
as possible, and keep them shaded for a few days, 
as with carnations. The plants will require to be 
about eight inches apart. As for care, apply water 



i84 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

only when the bed has begun to dry, and then until 
the bench is soaked through. Pots will, of course, 
require more frequent attention in this matter than 
a bench. Keep all old leaves picked off and the soil 
stirred about the plants, with syringing and fumi- 
gating as suggested on page 134. The temper- 
ature will be best as low as forty-five degrees 
at night, and as little above fifteen more in the day- 
time as possible. Where no artificial heat can be 
had, a fine crop through the spring months may be 
had by making a smaller frame inside the regular 
coldframe, and packing this space with fine dry 
manure, as well as banking the outer frame. This 
arrangement, with two sash and mats in the coldest 
weather, will keep the plants growing most of the 
winter, and certainly the abundance of fragrant 
blooms at a season when flowers are most scarce will 
amply repay you for the trouble. Some prefer the 
single to the double blossoms. Marie Louise and 
Lady Hume Campbell (double blue) ; Swanley 
White, and California and Princesse de Galles 
(single blue) are the best varieties. Plants may be 
purchased of most large florists or from seedsmen. 

FERNS 

Many of the decorative ferns may also be grown 
to perfection in the small house, at a moderate 
temperature, fifty to sixty degrees, the nearer sixty 



FLOWERS i8s 

the better. The Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltOr- 
ta Bosfoniensis) and its improved form, Scottii, are 
two of the best for house use, and if grown in the 
greenhouse until of good size and form, they will 
make unusual and very acceptable holiday or birth- 
day gifts. A few small plants obtained from the 
florist and kept where they do not get a direct glare 
of light, watered frequently enough so that the soil 
is always moist (but never " sopping " ), and plenty 
of fresh air in bright weather, will rapidly make 
fine plants. If you happen to have a few old 
plants on hand, they may be increased readily by di- 
vision. Separate the old crowns into a few small 
plants. Don't make them very small or they will 
not renew as readily. Keep them, if possible, a lit- 
tle above sixty degrees, with plenty of moisture. 
Loam and sand, to which is added about the same 
amount of leaf-mould, will make a proper soil. 

Asparagus ferns will also respond to about the 
same care, though thriving in an even lower temper- 
ature. Asparagus plumosiis nanus, the Lace fern, 
is especially delicate and graceful and makes an ideal 
small table plant to use with flowers. 

CHRYSANTHEMUMS 

These are propagated by cuttings, which root 
very easily. I would suggest, however, dipping 
them first in a wash of one part Aphine to thirty- 
five parts water, and then rinsing in clear cold 



i86 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

water, in order to rid them entirely of any black 
aphis there may be present. Give them a clean 
start, and it will be much easier to keep them clean, 
as they must be kept to make good healthy plants. 

If you have not already a stock on hand, I would 
suggest going to some florist's in the chrysanthemum 
season and making a list of the varieties which par- 
ticularly please you. Later, say in February or 
March, you can get cuttings of these, already rooted 
if you like, but it's more fun to root them yourself. 

Pot off in two-and-one-half-inch pots, and shift 
on as rapidly as the roots develop. Use, after the 
first potting, a very rich soil, and give plenty of 
water. Chrysanthemums are yery gross feeders 
and the secret of success with them lies in keeping 
them growing on from the beginning as rapidly as 
possible, without a check. Keep at about fifty-five 
degrees and repot as frequently as required. 

If they are to be grown in a bed or bench, have 
the soil ready by the first part of June. The dis- 
tance apart will be determined by the method by 
which they are to be grown — six or eight inches if 
to " single stems " w^ith the great big flowers one 
sees at the florist's; about eight, ten or twelve if 
three blooms are to be had from each plant. Of 
course that will be determined by individual taste; 
but personally I prefer the " spray " form, growing 
a dozen or more to each plant. They should be 
syringed frequently and given partial shade. A 



FLOWERS T87 

j:(()f)d way is to spray onto llic roof a mixture of 
lime-water, about as thick as milk, or white lead and 
naphtha in solution. 

As soon as they arc well established and growing, 
decision must be made as to how they are to be 
grown. If more than one flower to a plant is 
wanted, pinch out the big top bud and as the side 
buds develop, take them all off to the numljcr of 
flowers required, two, three or more as the case 
may be. If sprays are wanted, pinch out the end 
buds of these side shoots also when they get about 
three inches long, and all Init a few of the side buds 
on the shoots. 

If at any time during growth the plants seem to 
be checked, or lose their healthy dark green color, 
it is probable that they are not getting enough food 
and should be given top dressings or liquid manure 
accordingly. 

Or if one docs not want to devote space in the 
greenhouse to them for so long a time (although 
they occupy it when there is little other use for it) 
the plants may be grown in pots, the final shift be- 
ing into six- or seven-inch. They are kept in a 
cool house, or in a vShaded place out-of-doors, 
plunged in coal ashes. One advantage of this 
method is, of course, that they can be brought into 
the dwelling house while in bloom. 

In either case, the plants must be watched care- 
fully for black fly, which can be kept off with 



i88 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Aphine. The plants will also need supports of 
twine or wire, or stakes, whether in the beds or in 
pots. 

The usual method is to cut back the plants after 
blooming, store in a cold place and start later into 
new growth for cuttings. A better way is to set a 
few plants out early in the spring — one of each 
variety will give an abundance of plants for home 
use. Cuttings can be taken from these that will be 
just right for late flowers. These stock plants are 
cut back in the fall, taken up and stored in a deep 
box, keeping as cold as possible without freezing. 

Varieties are so numerous, so constantly chang- 
ing, of so many types, that it would be unsatisfac- 
tory to give a list. The best way, as mentioned be- 
fore, is to get a list of the sort you like, while they 
are in bloom at the florists. 

ROSES 

It is much more difficult to grow good roses than 
to grow either chrysanthemums or carnations. 
They are more particular as to soil and as to tem- 
perature, and more quickly affected by insects and 
disease. 

Nevertheless there is no reason why the amateur 
who is willing to be painstaking should not succeed 
with the hardier varieties. Some roses are much 
more easily grown than others. Plants may be 
grown from cuttings of the ripened wood, which 



FLOWERS 189 

should have become too hard to comply with the 
** snapping test " (see page 30) used for most other 
plants. By far the best way for the beginner, how- 
ever, is to buy from the nurserymen or florist. This 
is especially true of the many sorts which do better 
when grafted on a strong growing stock. 

There are two ways of buying the plants : either 
in the dormant state, or growing, out of pots. In 
the first way you get the dry roots and canes (2- 
year olds) from the nursery as early as possible in 
the spring and set them in nine-inch pots to plunge 
outdoors, or boxes, allowing 6 x 6 to 12 inches for 
room if you want them for use in the house in the 
winter. Cut back one-half at time of planting, 
and after watering to bring the soil to the right 
degree of moisture, go very light with it until the 
plants begin active growth, when it is gradually in- 
creased. As with chrysanthemums, as the plants 
get large, fertilizers and liquid manure must be 
given to maintain the supply of plant food. Let 
the plants stay out when cold weather comes, until 
the leaves have dropped and then store until De- 
cember or January in a cold dry place where they 
will not be frozen too hard or exposed to repeated 
thawings — a trial that few plants can survive. 
Bring into warmth as required. 

The above treatment is for plants for the house. 
For the greenhouse bench get plants that are grow- 
ing. They should be clean and healthy, in four- or 



190 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

five-inch pots. They are set 12x12 to 12x16 
inches apart, depending upon whether the variety is 
a very robust grower. The best time for setting is 
April to July first, according to season in which it is 
desired to get most bloom. As a rule early plant- 
ing is the more satisfactory. 

One of the most important points in success with 
roses is to provide thorough drainage. Even when 
raised beds are used, as will generally be the case 
in small houses, wide cracks should be left every six 
inches or so. If the house is low, room may be 
saved by making a " solid " bed directly upon the 
ground, putting in seven or eight inches of prepared 
soil on top of two or three inches of clinkers, small 
stone or gravel. 

The preparation of the soil is also a matter of 
great importance. It should be rather " heavy," 
that is, with considerably more clay than average 
plant soil. Five parts rotted loam sod, to one to 
two parts rotted cow manure, is a good mixture. 
It should be thoroughly composted and rotted up. 
When filling the bench press well down and if 
possible give time to settle before putting in the 
plants. 

The plants should be set in firmly. Keep shaded 
and syringe daily in the morning until well estab- 
lished. Great care must be taken to guard against 
any sudden changes, so that it is best to give venti- 
lation gradually and keep a close watch of temper- 



FLOWERS 191 

ature, which should be kept from fifty-five to fifty- 
eight at night in cold weather. 

Care should be taken to water early in the morn- 
ing, that the leaves may dry off by night. At the 
same time it is well to keep the atmosphere as moist 
as possible to prevent trouble from the red spider 
(see page 134) which is perhaps the greatest enemy 
of the rose under glass. 

As large growth is reached, liquid manure or 
extra food in the form of dry fertilizer must be 
given, a good mixture for the latter being i lb. of 
nitrate of soda, one of sulphate of potash and ten 
of fine bone. Wood ashes sprinkled quite thick 
upon the soil and worked in are also good. 

As the plants grow tall, they will have to be given 
support by tying either to stakes or wires. It is 
v/ell to pick off the first buds also, so that mature 
growth may be made before they begin to flower 
heavil}^ 

The plants should at all times be kept scrupu- 
lously clean. 

The roses suited for growing in pots or boxes, to 
be dried off and brought into heat in January or 
February, are the hybrid perpetuals, and the newer 
ramblers, Crimson, Baby White and Baby Pink. 

For growing in benches, as described, the teas are 
used. Among the best of the standard sorts of 
these are Bride, Perle, Kaiserin Augusta Victoria, 
Bridesmaid, Pres. Carnot, Meteor, Killarney. New 



192 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

sorts are constantly being tried, and some of these 
are improvements over old sorts. The catalogues 
give full description. 

For growing at a low temperature, fifty-five de- 
grees or so, the following are good : Wootton, Papa 
Gontier, red ; Perle, yellow ; Bridesmaid, large pink ; 
Mad. Cousin, small pink ; Bride, white. The above 
will make a good collection for the beginner to try 
his or her hand with. 



CHAPTER XXV 

VEGETABLES 

WHILE tomatoes and cucumbers require a 
high temperature; lettuce may be grown 
easily all the year round. A good 
method is to grow three crops of lettuce during the 
fall and winter, and follow with tomatoes and cu- 
cumbers in the spring, when the high temperature 
required can be more easily maintained. 

Lettuce is a low-temperature plant, and there is 
no reason why the small greenhouse owner should 
not be able with ease to supply his table constantly 
with this delicious salad. As with the carnations, 
and violets, if there is no part of a bench that can 
be devoted to the lettuce, a few plants can be grown 
in pots. If this method is used, the seedlings should 
be pricked off into small pots. When these begin 
to crowd they will have to be given six to eight 
inches of room, and the pots plunged in soil to 
their full depth. But it will be more satisfactory 
to devote a part of a bench, a solid one if possible 
and in the coldest part of the house, to the lettuce 
plants. Well rotted manure, either horse or mixed, 
and a sandy loam, will make the right soil. The 
first sowing of seed should be made about August 

193 



194 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

first, in a shaded bed out-of-doors; the seedlings 
transplanted, as vv^ith spring lettuce, to flats or an- 
other bed. By the last week in September these 
will be ready to go into the beds prepared for them, 
setting them about six inches apart for the loose 
and eight for the heading varieties. The bed 
should be well drained, so that the soil will 
never stay soggy after watering. The soil should 
be kept fairly dry, as too much moisture is apt to 
cause rot, especially with the heading sorts. 
Syringe occasionally on the brightest days, in the 
morning. Keep the surface of the bed stirred until 
the leaves cover it. Keep the temperature below 
fifty at night, especially just after planting, and while 
maturing. And watch sharply for the green aphis, 
which is the most dangerous insect pest. If to- 
bacco fumigation is used as a preventive, as sug- 
gested, they will not put in an appearance. The 
first heads will be ready by Thanksgiving, and a 
succession of plants should be had by making small 
sowings of seed every two or three weeks. If the 
same bed is used for the new crops, liquid manure, 
with a little dissolved soda nitrate, will be helpful. 
If a night temperature of sixty degrees can be 
assured in part of the house, tomatoes and cucum- 
bers may also be had all winter. If the house is 
only a general purpose one, held at a lower tempera- 
ture than that, they may still be had months before 
the crop outside by starting them so as to follow 



VEGETABLES I9S 

the last crop of lettuce, which should be out of 
the way by the first of April. The seeds of either 
need a high temperature to germinate well, and 
may be started on the return heating pipes, care be- 
ing taken to remove them before they are injured 
by too much shade or by drying out. In sowing the 
cucumber seed, pots or small boxes, filled about half- 
full of a light sandy compost, may be used, these to 
be filled in, leaving only two plants in each, as the 
plants get large enough, with a rich compost. If 
there is a solid bed available, a trench filled with 
horse manure, well packed in, will act as a hotbed 
and help out the temperature required for rapid 
growth. If fruits are wanted for the winter, the 
tomatoes should be started in July and the cucum- 
bers early in August. They should be given a very 
rich and sandy soil, and the day temperature may 
run up to eighty degrees. Until the latter part of 
spring, when the ventilators are opened and bees 
have ready access, it is necessary to use artificial 
fertilization in order to get the fruit to set. With 
a small soft brush, dust the pollen over the pistils. 
With the English forcing cucumbers, this will not 
be necessary. While fruit is setting, the houses 
should be kept especially dry and warm. 

The vines of both tomatoes and cucumbers will 
have to be tied up to stakes or wires with raffia. 
They should be pinched off at about six feet, and, 
for the best fruit, all suckers kept off the tomatoes. 



196 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

The best varieties of tomatoes for forcing are 
'Lorillard, Stirling Castle and Comet; of the cucum- 
bers, Arlington White Spine, Davis Perfected and 
the English forcing varieties. 

If you do not like to stop having lettuce in time 
to give up space to cucumbers or tomatoes, start 
some plants about January first, and have a hotbed 
ready to receive them from the flats before March 
first. With a little care as to ventilation and water- 
ing, they will come along just after the last of the 
greenhouse crops. 

A point not to be overlooked in connection with 
all the above suggestions is that any surplus of these 
fresh out-of-season things may be disposed of 
among your vegetable-hungry friends at the same 
step-ladder prices they are paying the butcher or 
green-grocer for wilted, shipped-about products. 

And don't get discouraged if some of your experi- 
ments do not succeed the first time. Keep on plan- 
ning, studying and practicing until you are getting 
the maximum returns and pleasure from your glass 
house. 




Tomato plants, slartcd in pots, ready for transplanting into 

the bench 




The tomato plants in full bearing. The vines are severely 
pruned and tied up to sticks or twine 



CHAPTER XXVI 

VEGETABLE AND BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING 

WHILE it is true that there are many ways 
in which one may save money with a 
small greenhouse all through the year, the 
best chance for making money is by growing vege- 
table and bedding plants in the spring. Bedding 
stock is what the florists term geraniums, coleus, 
begonias and other plants used for setting out 
flower beds in the spring. 

In every community a large number of such 
plants are used and the case will be rare indeed in 
which one will meet with any difficulty in disposing 
of quite a number of such plants among immediate 
neighbors and friends. 

The number of plants which can be grown in the 
spring with even a very small house and a few sash 
is quite surprising. The secret of the mystery lies, 
of course, in the fact that in their early stages, seed- 
lings and cuttings, the plants occupy very little room ; 
while as soon or soon after they are transplanted or 
shifted to large pots they are shoved outdoors into 
coldframes. As the tender vegetables, such as to- 
matoes, peppers, egg-plant, etc., are not started until 

after the hardier ones, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, 

197 



198 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

etc., the frames can be filled up again usually as fast 
as emptied. In the same way heliotrope, salvia, 
coleus and other tender plants follow pansies, 
daisies, carnations, etc. 

It will thus be seen that to grow these plants to 
the best advantage, a cold frame, or better still, both 
a coldframe and hotbed, will be used in conjunction 
with the small home greenhouse. 

Directions have already been given (see Chapter 
IV) in these pages for sowing, starting and trans- 
planting seed. 

VEGETABLES 

The dates for sowing are about as follows in the 
vicinity of New York. Allow about a week's dif- 
ference for every hundred miles of latitude — 
earlier in the south, later in the north. 

February ist — Cabbage, cauliflower. 

February 15th — Cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels 
sprouts, beets, lettuce, onions for plants. 

March ist — Lettuce, celery (early), tomato 
(early), beets. 

March 15th — Lettuce, tomato (main), egg- 
plant, pepper. For one's own use or special orders, 
cucumbers, squash, lima beans, potatoes sprouted 
in flats of sand, may also be started, but there is no 
market demand for them. 

April ist — Celery (late), cauliflower; (in sods or 
paper pots), muskmelon, watermelon, corn, for 
special use. 



BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING 199 

After being started and pricked off into flats, 
cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, beets, lettuce, 
and celery are kept inside just long enough to get 
well established, and then put outside in a tight 
frame. Harden off as well as possible before put- 
ting out, as a freeze the first night might injure 
them. After that slight frost on the leaves will not 
injure them, but if they freeze stiff, apply cold 
water in the morning — ice-cold is just as good — 
and shade until they are thawed out. If very cold 
it will be necessary to protect the frames with shut- 
ters. Beets and lettuce will not stand quite so low 
a temperature as the cabbage group. By the time 
the plants are pretty well grown, cloth-covered 
frames may be substituted for the glass ones, and 
these may be used elsewhere to cover the tenderer 
plants such as tomato and egg-plant. After the 
first of April they will not need any protection. 
Last spring I had several thousand cabbages covered 
twice with several inches of snow, and hardly a one 
was lost. 

Tomatoes, peppers and egg-plants require differ- 
ent treatment. They are heat-loving plants, and 
not only succumb to even a slight freeze, but will 
be so checked by a low temperature, even if not 
touched by frost, that they will amount to little. 
They should be kept growing as rapidly as possible. 
They will also require a second transplanting. 
Those wanted for the retail trade are put a dozen 



2O0 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

in a box, three or four inches deep and 7x9 inches. 
Care must be taken not to let these plants run up tall. 
Always give all the air possible while keeping up 
the temperature, which should be from fifty to fifty- 
five at night. Get them outdoors as soon as the 
weather becomes settled, where they could be pro- 
tected in case of a sudden late frost. 

BEDDING PLANTS 

Most of the plants used for flower gardens and 
lawn beds come under the three following classes: 
(i) Those grown from seed; (2) those grown 
from cuttings; (3) those of a bulbous nature. 

Almost all of the first group are sown in the 
spring in flats in the greenhouse. Two important 
exceptions, however, are pansies and English daisies 
(Bellis perennis). They are sown early in the 
fall, as already described, and the plants wintered 
over in a frame or protected outdoors. For the 
retail trade they are put up in small boxes or " pansy 
baskets " made for the purpose. While small 
plants, just beginning to bloom, are the best, it 
seems very hard to convince a customer of it and 
they will often choose a basket with four or five old 
plants loaded with bloom in preference to a dozen 
small ones. 

Asters, alyssum, balsams, candytuft, celosia, co- 
leus, dianthus (pink), lobelia, mignonette, petunias, 
phlox, portulaca, ricinus, salvia, verbenas, vinca, 



BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING 201 

roses, zinnias, may all be started from seed. The 
greatest scret of success is to keep the plants from 
crowding, and keep pinched back to make bushy- 
plants. Salvias and coleus are the tenderest of 
these plants. The others can go out to the frames, 
if room is scarce, as soon as the weather becomes 
settled. 

PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 

The method of choosing and rooting cuttings has 
been outlined in a previous chapter (see page 29). 
In greenhouse work the main difference is that they 
are taken in much larger quantities. For this 
reason it is usually convenient to have a cutting 
bench instead of the flats or saucers used in root- 
ing house plants. The bench should be three or 
four inches deep, filled with medium coarse, gritty 
sand, or a substratum of drainage material. If 
possible, have it so arranged that bottom heat may 
be given — this being most conveniently furnished 
with pipes under the bench boxed in. (The temper- 
ature required for most cuttings will be fifty to fifty- 
five in the house with five to ten degrees more tinder 
the bench.) The cutting bench should also be so 
situated that it readily may be shaded, as one of the 
most important factors of success is to prevent the 
cuttings from wilting at any time — especially just 
after placing in the sand. After rooting, the cut- 
tings are put into small pots or flats as already ex- 
plained. 



202 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 

Spring stock of some plants, such as geraniums, 
are rooted in the fall — September to November. 
Others, which make a quick growth, such as pe- 
tunias, not until early in the spring, — last of Jan- 
uary to April, but for the most part in February. 
In the former case, cuttings are taken just before 
frost from outside plants, or later from stock plants 
lifted and taken indoors; in the latter case, stock 
plants are taken in and carried through the winter 
in a more or less dormant or resting condition; 
being kept rather dry and started into active growth 
in January. The new growth furnishes material 
for cuttings, which are grown on as rapidly as pos- 
sible. 

The following plants are treated in one of the 
above ways; further details in any case may be 
found in the first part of the book: 

Alternantheres Heliotrope 

Begonias, fibrous rooted Ice Plant 

Coleus Paris Daisy 

Cuphia Petunias 

Geraniums Salvias 

Ivy Geraniums Vincas 
German Ivy 

BULBOUS BEDDING PLANTS 

The bulbous plants are started directly in pots, or 
in flats and transferred to pots, as described in indi- 
vidual cases in the preceding pages. 



BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING 203 

Cannas, tall Caladiums 

Cannas, dwarf flowering Tuberous rooted 
Dahlias Begonias 

are the sorts for which there is most demand. 

CONCLUSION 

Condensed as the latter part of this book has had 
to be, I trust it may give the reader a glimpse of the 
pleasure, and even of the possibility for profit, that 
is offered by the small home glass house. 

Do not feel that because you cannot have a large 
greenhouse, with all the modern equipment, that it 
is not worth while to have any. Many of the large 
establishments in the country have grown from just 
such small beginnings as have been described or sug- 
gested here. 

Possibly you would never be interested in the 
commercial side of your under-glass gardening, 
even though success crowned your efforts. There 
is not, however, any question about the fun and 
healthy pleasure to be had, and I can wish you no 
more gardening joy than that the coming year will 
find you with at least a modest amount of " home 



glass." 



THE END 



INDEX 



INDEX 



Abutilon, 72. 
Acalypha, ^Z- 
Accessories, 140, 
Achj-ranthes, 81. 
African Blue Lily, 123. 
Ageratum, 66. 
Alternanthera, 82. 
Alyssum, 66. 
Amaryllis, 122. 
Anemone, 126. 
Anthericum, 82. 
Aphis, 133. 
Araucaria, 82. 
Aralia, '^Z- 
Ardisia, yz- 
Aspidistra, 83. 
Auciiba, TZ- 
Azalea, 74. 

B 

Bay-window, 3, 9. 

Balsam', 66. 

Bedding plants — grown 

spring, 200. 
Begonia Rex, 53. 
Begonias, flowering, 51. 
Blood Flower, 124. 
Bone meal, 141. 
Botivardia, 74. 
Browallia, 75. 
Bulbs, Dutch or Cape, i 
Bulbs, for winter bloom, 



Cacti, no. 



for 



17- 
116. 



Caladium, 83, 125. 

Calla, 121. 

Candytuft, 66. 

Carnations, 66, 180. 

Cannas, 66. 

Chinese Sacred Lily, 127. 

Chrysanthemum, 67, 185. 

Cissus, 90. 

Clematis, 90. 

Cobcea Scandens, 91. 

Coldframe, 149. 

Coleus, 84. 

"Crocking" pots, 178. 

Cuttings, preparation of, 29. 

Cuttings, propagation of, 30. 

Cucumbers, 194. 



D 



Daphne, 75. 
Disbudding, 182. 
Diseases, 137. 
Dracaena, 84. 

E 

Easter lily, 120. 
English ivy, 92. 



Farfugium, 84. 
Ferns, 97, 184. 
Fertilizers, 19, 145. 
Flowering maple, "12. 
Foliage plants, 8r, 

Achyranthes, 81. 

Alternanthera, 82. 

Anthericum, ^2. 

Araucaria, 82. 



207 



208 



INDEX 



Foliage plants (Continued) 
Aspidistra, 83. 
Caladium, 83. 
Cissus, 90. 
Clematis, 90. 
Coboea scandens, 91- 
Coleus, 84. 
Dracaena, 84. 
English ivy, 92. 
Farfugium, 84. 
German ivy, 92. 
Hoya Carnosa, 91. 

Ivy, 92. 

Leopard plant, 84. 
"Little Pickles," 94, "S- 
Manettia, 93. 
Moneywort, 93- 
Morning-glory, 93. 
Musk plant, 93. 
Nasturtium, 94. 
Othonna, 94- 
Pandanus, 85. 
Pepper, 85. 
Rubber plant, 86. 
Saxifraga, 87. 
Sensitive plant, 88. 
Smilax, 94. 
Sweet peas, 95- 
Thunbergia, 95- 
Tradescantia, 88. 
Vines, 90. 
Zebra plant, 88. 
Frozen plants, treatment of, 
199. 



Genista, 75. 

Geranium, 56. 

German ivy, 92. 

Gladiolus, 124. 

Greenhouse, construction of, 

156. 
Greenhouse, management ot, 

172. 
Grevillea, 75. 



H 



Hanging baskets, 130, 143. 
Heating apparatus, 3. 
Heating of greenhouses, 167. 
Heliotrope, 61. 
Hibiscus, 75. 
Hotbed, 149- 
House plants, 44. 
Hoya Carnosa, 91. 
Hydrangea, 76. 
Hyacinths, 118. 



Insects, 132. 

Insect diseases, remedies for, 

138. 
Iris, 126. 
Ivy, 9^. 

K 

Kerosene emulsion, 139. 

L 

Lantana, "^T. 
Leaf-mould, 141. 
Lemon, 'JT. 
Lemon verbena, 'J'J. 
Leopard plant, 84. 
Lettuce, I93- 
Lily-of-the-valley, 125. 
Light, proper amount of, 6. 
"Little Pickles," 94, "S- 
Lobelia, 68. 

M 

Mahernia (honey-bell), 68. 
Manettia, 93- 
Manures, 17, 145- 
Manure, liquid, 48, 145. 
Marguerite carnation, 66. 
Mealy bug, 135- 
Mignonette, ^. 



INDEX 



209 



Moisture, amount of for 

plants indoors, 12. 
Moneywort, 93. 
Morning-glory, 93. 
Musk plant, 93. 

N 

Narcissi, 118. 
Nasturtium, 94. 
Nitrate of soda, 20. 
Nitrogen, forms of, 18. 



O 



Oleander, ']']. 
Orange, 78. 
Othonna, 94. 
Oxalis, 120. 



Palms, 103. 

Pandanus, 85. 

Pansy, 68, 200. 

Patience plant (impatiens), 

67. 
Peat, 141. 
Pepper, 85. 
Petunia, 62. 

Phosphoric acid, forms of, 18. 
Pots, 143- 
Potting, 38, 176. 
Potash, forms of, 18. 
"Plunging" pots in summer, 

49. 
Primroses {Primud) , 03. 
Propagation, from cuttings, 

30. 
Propagation, from' seed, 22-27. 
Propagation, "saucer system," 

32. 

R 

Ranunculus, 126. 
Red spider, 134. 



Reinwardtia, 78. 

Repotting, 40, 

Resting periods of plants, 47. 

Rex, Begonia, 53. 

Root aphis, 136. 

Roses, 78, 188. 

Rubber plant, 86. 



Salvia, 68. 

Sash, lean-to, 164. 

Saxifraga, 87. 

Scale, 136. 

Sensitive plant, 88. 

Shelf, for plants, 8. 

Shrubs. 

Abutilon, 72. 

Acalypha, JZ- 

Aralia, y^. 

Ardisia, y^. 

Aucuba, yz- 

Azalea, 74. 

Bouvardia, 74. 

Browallia, 75. 

Daphne, 75. 

Flowering maple, y2. 

Genista, 75. 

Grevilla, 75. 

Hibiscus, 75. 

Hydrangea, 76. 

Lantana, yy. 

Lemon, yy. 

Lemon verbena, yy. 

Oleander, yy. 

Orange, 78. 

Reinwardtia, 78. 

Roses, 78-188. 

Swainsona, 79. 

Sweet olive, 79. 
Slips, preparation of, 29. 
Smilax, 94. 
Snapdragon, 64. 
Soil, ingredients, 141. 
Soil, for greenhouses, I73- 
Soil, for pots and boxes, 14. 



210 



INDEX 



Sphagnum moss, 141. 
Spirea, 126. 
Steria, 68. 
Stocks, 69. 

Sub-watering, 24, 142. 
Swainsona, 79. 
Sweet olive, 79. 
Sweet peas, 95. 



Temperature, for plants, in- 
doors, II, 45. 

Temperature, for green- 
houses, 174. 

Thrips, 136. 

Thunbergia, 95. 

Tomatoes, 194. 

Tradescantia, 88. 

Transplanting, 35. 

Tuberous begonia, 124. 

Tulips, 118. 



Vallota, 123. 

Vases, 129. 

Vegetable plants, started un- 
der glass, 197. 

Veranda boxes, 128. 

Verbena, 69. 

Verbena, Lemon, ']']. 

Vines, 90. 

Violets, 183. 

W 

Watering, 45. 

Watering, for greenhouse, 175. 

Window-boxes, 128. 

Window-box, construction of, 
9-10. 

Worms, 137. 



Zebra plant, 



■■\PR 1958 



